Christian Horner's Shocking Exit from F1's Red Bull Racing

Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

By Ryan Wu

Well, this is a shocking way to start a Wednesday. 

Red Bull announced today that they have parted ways with Team Principal Christian Horner, ending his 20-year tenure at the helm of the team. By Red Bull’s lofty standards, this has been a deeply disappointing season. The car has struggled significantly with tire management, and the team has effectively relied on just one competitive driver all year. Max Verstappen, the reigning World Champion, has managed only two race wins and currently trails Championship leader Oscar Piastri by 69 points. In the Constructors' Championship, Red Bull sits a staggering 288 points behind McLaren.

Horner will be replaced by Laurent Mekies, who had been serving as Team Principal of Racing Bulls.

What has gone wrong for Red Bull?

For starters, Red Bull’s second driver situation has been making headlines for the past 18 months. It might feel like a distant memory now, but between 2021 and 2023, Sergio Pérez enjoyed considerable success alongside Max Verstappen—finishing 4th, 3rd, and 2nd in the Drivers’ Championship during that period. However, in 2024, his form declined dramatically, resulting in an 8th-place finish—an underperformance that arguably cost Red Bull a third consecutive Constructors’ title.

Since Pérez’s departure, the second seat at Red Bull has been in turmoil. A mid-season driver swap saw Liam Lawson replace Yuki Tsunoda, but neither has managed to deliver consistent results. Many have speculated that the evolving design of the car has resulted in an extremely narrow operating window—one that only a driver of Verstappen’s caliber can fully exploit. Even so, Verstappen himself has expressed frustration with the car’s handling throughout the year, and rumors continue to swirl about his future, with Mercedes reportedly maintaining long-standing interest in securing his services.

Adding to the uncertainty, Christian Horner was under investigation in early 2024 for inappropriate behavior toward a colleague. Although he was initially cleared in February, the case remains active. A former Red Bull employee has since filed a claim with the UK Employment Tribunal, with the initial hearing scheduled for January 2026—unless a settlement is reached beforehand.

Currently, a Reporting Restriction Order in the UK prohibits British media from reporting on developments in the case, which has kept most details out of public view. Reports indicate that Red Bull, Horner, and the accuser have engaged in settlement discussions, but no agreement has been reached to date. As a result, the claim is proceeding to tribunal.

Despite all of this, Horner’s departure still comes as a major shock. He had been the guiding force behind one of the most successful Formula 1 teams of the 21st century, and this exit was not something anyone had anticipated.

History of Horner at Red Bull

Christian Horner was appointed Team Principal in January 2005 after Red Bull purchased the Jaguar F1 team. At just 31 years old, he became the youngest Team Principal in Formula 1 history. One of his most influential early moves was convincing Adrian Newey to leave McLaren and join Red Bull as Chief Technical Officer.

In Red Bull’s first four seasons under the energy drink brand, the team failed to secure a single race win and never finished higher than fifth in the Constructors' Championship. That changed dramatically in 2009, when the team claimed six victories and finished second in the standings.

Beginning in 2010, Red Bull dominated the sport with four consecutive double championships—winning both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles from 2010 to 2013. Under Horner’s leadership, the team never finished below third in the Constructors' standings again. He also oversaw the development of two generational talents in Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, both of which became four-time World Champions with the team.

During Horner’s tenure, Red Bull amassed 124 Grand Prix wins, 287 podiums, and 107 pole positions. The team has secured six Constructors’ Championships and eight Drivers’ Championships. Their 124 wins rank fourth all-time, behind only Ferrari (248), McLaren (198), and Mercedes (130).