After years of dominance, Red Bull fires Christian Horner and ends a two-decade chapter. The announcement surprised the entire paddock. The official statement remained polite: “Thanks for his exceptional work.”
Red Bull fires Christian Horner after helping the team secure six constructors and eight drivers titles. Laurent Mekies, who led Racing Bulls, now steps in to stabilise the team at a fragile moment. Alan Permane, his right-hand man, takes charge of racing operations during this high-pressure transition phase. For the first time, Red Bull moves forward without Horner, a familiar face in Formula 1 paddocks. His exit marks a rare shift, considering how deeply he shaped the team’s identity and structure.
Back in 2005, Horner joined just as Red Bull had bought Jaguar’s failing Formula 1 operation. Few expected the team to grow into a dominant force within just a few short years. But Horner hired smart, built trust, and turned a crumbling outfit into a consistent championship contender.
A winning machine built piece by piece
Adrian Newey became a cornerstone of Red Bull’s rise thanks to Horner’s relentless early persuasion. He and David Coulthard convinced the designer to join, laying a strong technical foundation. At the same time, Red Bull focused on youth, acquiring Minardi to form a second team. Toro Rosso quickly became a proving ground for drivers from their junior development programme.
Sebastian Vettel was the first big success, winning with Toro Rosso before joining Red Bull.
He claimed his first title in 2010 and dominated the next three seasons without interruption. Four consecutive championships placed Red Bull at the top of the sport during that golden era.
Things changed in 2014 as Renault’s hybrid engine failed to meet performance expectations.
Horner pressured the supplier for investment, but Vettel left and Ferrari welcomed him in.
Retaining Newey proved essential for keeping Red Bull technically competitive despite the difficult transition.
Red Bull fires Christian Horner after Verstappen’s comeback and Honda’s rebirth
The arrival of Honda engines brought new hope for Red Bull on the global racing scene. With Max Verstappen, they had a fearless driver ready to take on Mercedes’ long-standing dominance. In 2021, he edged out Hamilton in a dramatic, controversial finale at the Yas Marina Circuit. Back-to-back constructors’ titles followed in 2022 and 2023, confirming Red Bull’s return to the top.
The 2023 season was nearly perfect, with Red Bull winning 21 out of 22 total races. But 2024 started differently. Horner faced allegations later dismissed after two internal investigations. The incident destabilised the team, triggering several key departures and loss of internal cohesion. Adrian Newey left to join Aston Martin, and on-track performance quickly started to unravel.
Verstappen still fought to protect his lead, but results were no longer predictable or dominant.
The second Red Bull car struggled badly, even after changes involving multiple drivers throughout the year.
A risky engine project and growing tensions
Horner parted ways with Sergio Perez, tested two replacements, then brought back Yuki Tsunoda without success. At the same time, Red Bull prepared to lose its Honda-built engines after the 2025 season. To avoid dependency, Horner committed to building an in-house engine, backed by Ford on electronics. The project raised doubts internally, given its high cost and the team’s shaky technical momentum.
As pressure mounted, reports emerged about Verstappen possibly leaving after increasing tension with his father Jos. The relationship between the Verstappen camp and Horner had become visibly strained behind the scenes. In the midst of this fractured dynamic, Red Bull fires Christian Horner, closing two decades of control.
Despite his legacy, Horner appeared increasingly alone within a structure he once shaped from scratch. His exit closes a long chapter. Red Bull moves forward, but expectations and pressure remain unchanged.