Christian Horner has been relieved of his duties as Red Bull’s Formula One team principal on Wednesday morning.
The Red Bull chief had led the team since its inception in 2005, guiding them to six constructors’ titles and eight drivers’ championships. However, just one year after a personal scandal involving alleged “inappropriate behaviour” with a female colleague – an accusation Horner was cleared of twice – the 51-year-old lost his job on Wednesday morning.
Horner, who is married to Spice Girl pop star Geri Halliwell, has been replaced by Laurent Mekies as CEO of Red Bull Racing. Mekies was previously the team principal at sister team Racing Bulls. Red Bull CEO of Corporate Projects and Investments, Oliver Mintzlaff, said in a statement: “We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years. With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1. Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history.”
Red Bull endured a race to forget at the British Grand Prix on Sunday, and the team are now a distant fourth in the constructors’ standings, but this announcement still comes as a shock to the team at Milton Keynes and the whole F1 paddock. Horner was the longest-serving team boss in F1 and guided Red Bull to 124 grand prix victories during his time in charge.
Max Verstappen, who won all four of his world titles under Horner at Red Bull, posted on Instagram: “From my first race win, to four world championships, we have shared incredible successes. Winning memorable races and breaking countless records. Thank you for everything, Christian!”
Follow all the latest updates on this breaking news story below
Inside the power struggle at heart of Christian Horner exit – and what it means for Max Verstappen’s F1 future
For a team very much accustomed to shock announcements, this was the bombshell to end all bombshells from Red Bull. After giving an emotional farewell to stunned staff at the team’s HQ at around 10am, Christian Horner drove away from the Milton Keynes campus – the site he built from the bottom-up – for the last time on Wednesday morning.
Horner’s exit after two decades as Red Bull Racing’s team principal, and later F1 CEO, would not have been earth-shattering at the start of last season. Division in the sport’s top outfit, in the wake of allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” levelled at Horner from a female colleague, was well documented.
Yet the embattled team boss was cleared, twice, and he was at the forefront as his star driver Max Verstappen won a fourth consecutive world championship. On the face of it, it seemed Horner had weaved his way through the storm and come out the other side, perhaps stronger than ever.
But for this news to come now, halfway through the 2025 season, has come as a shock to the whole paddock. The sport’s longest-serving team boss, who never missed a race in two decades, will not be present in the paddock in Belgium later this month for the first time since the 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix, at least in an official capacity.
Kieran Jackson analyses Christian Horner’s exit:
Will Castle9 July 2025 16:45
Max Verstappen posts first message since Christian Horner sacking
Max Verstappen has thanked Christian Horner in the world champion’s first public message since the Red Bull boss was sacked earlier this morning.
Verstappen was given his first drive by Horner as a teenager and he has won four F1 titles while working under him at Red Bull.
He posted on Instagram: “From my first race win, to four world championships, we have shared incredible successes. Winning memorable races and breaking countless records. Thank you for everything, Christian!”
Jamie Braidwood9 July 2025 16:06
Where could Christian Horner go next?
Christian Horner’s chapter at Red Bull is over. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s done with F1 for good…
Ferrari reportedly made an effort to hire him in the past, but to no avail. And with Fred Vasseur’s future also up in the air, could a move finally materialise?
If he wants to stay in motorsport without leaving the UK, Oxfordshire-based Alpine could also be a potential landing spot, who are currently looking for a team principal.
Flo Clifford10 July 2025 05:00
Christian Horner’s impact at Red Bull
Christian Horner, a former driver whose racing career stalled one level below F1, was the youngest team boss in F1, at 32, when he took charge of Red Bull in 2005 after its parent drinks company bought what had been Jaguar.
He’s the only leader the team has had since – leading them to six constructors’ titles and eight drivers’ crowns, as well as each one of their 124 grand prix victories.
Horner’s departure comes in the middle of the team’s efforts to prepare for one of the biggest rule changes in F1 in decades next season. Red Bull will make its own engines in partnership with Ford, a project led by Horner.
Flo Clifford10 July 2025 04:00
Toto Wolff now the longest-serving F1 boss
After Christian Horner was sacked following 20 years at Red Bull, Toto Wolff is now the longest-serving F1 team principal.
Wolff helped to oversee seven consecutive drivers’ championships with Mercedes between 2014 and 2022, until that streak was ended by Red Bull in 2021.
Of course, Wolff and Horner’s rivalry encapsulated the tensions between Mercedes and Red Bull during the dramatic 2021 season, which saw Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton to the title.
Flo Clifford10 July 2025 03:00
Max Verstappen’s F1 future predicted by Martin Brundle
Martin Brundle believes Max Verstappen is likely to stay at Red Bull next season following the news that Christian Horner has been relieved of his duties as the team’s F1 CEO.
“I can only surmise it means it’s more likely he stays at this moment,” Brundle told Sky Sports News.
“It remains to be seen. Every point Max has through his own genius driving is in a Red Bull car. They’re debuting their own engine [with Ford] for the first time next year. which is going to be the biggest change in Formula 1 history.
“We know that Max has an exit clause based on where he is in the world championship at the end of this month.”
Flo Clifford10 July 2025 02:00
Who is Laurent Mekies? Red Bull’s new F1 team principal replacing Christian Horner after shock exit
It will be Laurent Mekies stepping into the hot seat at Red Bull, an experienced Formula 1 figure noted for a being a calm character – and he’ll have to be given the scrutiny and noise that seems set to engulf the team for the foreseeable future.
Flo Clifford10 July 2025 01:00
What is Max Verstappen’s reported exit clause?
Verstappen is currently third in the standings, 46 points ahead of Charles Leclerc in fifth, but 69 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri.
It is reported he can exit his Red Bull deal, running until 2028, if he is lower than fourth by the F1 summer break, after the next two races in Belgium and Hungary.
The four-time reigning world champion has finished 4th, 10th, 2nd, RET, and 5th in his last five races.
Flo Clifford10 July 2025 00:00
Christian Horner’s nine-word response to Toto Wolff ‘terrier’ dig
The Red Bull boss declared he “loved” terrier dogs, before stating: “I’d rather be a terrier than a wolf, maybe.”
Will Castle9 July 2025 23:00
Will Max Verstappen be the next to leave Red Bull?
Max Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen insisted on Wednesday that his driver is committed to the team. The 27-year-old has not driven outside the Red Bull family since his F1 debut for sister team Toro Rosso in 2015.
Verstappen has repeatedly reiterated his short-term commitment to Red Bull, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff made it known recently that he is keeping an eye on the prospect of signing the Dutchman.
Verstappen’s arch rival, George Russell, only has a contract in place at Mercedes until the end of the season.
Jamie Braidwood9 July 2025 22:00