A new chapter begins in F1 history with the news this morning that Christian Horner has left his position as CEO and Team Principal of Red Bull Racing.
Horner was fired from his position as CEO and Team Principal of Red Bull Racing after a successful two-decade tenure. The leadership of Red Bull Racing will now fall to Laurent Mekies, who previously ran the team at Racing Bulls. Under Horner’s leadership since 2005, Red Bull has evolved into a dominant force, winning six Constructors’ Championships and eight Drivers’ titles.
Despite the success Christian Horner helped lead at Red Bull, his tenure has been marred by controversy lately. An internal investigation cleared Horner of sexual harassment and coercive behavior allegations in 2024, but the leak of illicit, supposedly texted and imaged material certainly didn’t sit well with Red Bull leadership. Red Bull’s new engine partner, Ford, expressed its disappointment through two statements regarding the handling of the allegations and the insufficient level of transparency. The organization experienced internal conflicts, which led to the departure of essential staff members, including Adrian Newey.
Related: Max Verstappen and Red Bull in crisis as champion eyes exit
Team’s 2-year decline helped hasten Christian Horner’s departure
What ultimately led to Christian Horner’s departure was the faltering performance of Red Bull on the circuit. The team won 21 out of 22 Grand Prix during 2023, won 9 in 2024 and has achieved only two victories this season. The Constructors’ standings now show McLaren in the lead position by a significant margin, indicating that Red Bull Racing faces a major strategic challenge.
In addition to Horner’s firing and performance issues, the team is also dealing with the distinct possibility that its top driver, Max Verstappen, could exercise an out clause in his contract after this season. Verstappen has been very public about his disappointment with the car this year and has seen his performance suffer over the past two races. Rumors of a jump to Mercedes have been hot recently, and early this season, so too were talks of the four-time F1 world champion.
Christian Horner being fired is just the first step of many in what looks to be a season of change for the once mighty and proud Red Bull Racing F1 team.
Read More: F1 EARTHQUAKE: Max Verstappen’s Red Bull Exit Looms with ‘Astronomical’ Price Tag as Mercedes Goes All In
