Helmut Marko shares his opinion on Christian Horner being sacked by Red Bull

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko has thanked Christian Horner for his service to Red Bull Racing in an official team statement. The Austrian reaffirmed that the Milton Keynes-based outfit remains committed to turning around its performance and mounting a championship challenge in the remaining rounds of the 2025 season.

Horner’s sudden departure has sent shockwaves through the paddock due to the abrupt nature of the announcement. While rumblings had begun around the Austrian GP, speculation is rife that the threat of Max Verstappen leaving the team was a key factor.

The reigning world champion might have held talks with Mercedes, and it is rumoured that his camp issued an ultimatum to Red Bull, demanding Horner’s exit as a condition for his continued stay.

Since the texting scandal in 2024 and the subsequent exit of key personnel, Horner had been under pressure to deliver a competitive car to Verstappen. Although the Dutchman clinched the 2024 title, internal tensions between the Verstappen camp and Horner’s faction within the team had only intensified. Marko, reportedly aligned with the Verstappens, has been instrumental in exposing these divisions, which became apparent as early as the 2024 Bahrain GP.

In his statement, Marko extended his gratitude to Horner for his contributions, acknowledging the team’s tremendous success under his leadership, including eight drivers’ world championships and six constructors’ titles. Nevertheless, he reiterated that winning is ingrained in Red Bull’s identity and outlined the team’s objective for the remainder of the 2025 campaign: to continue fighting for the drivers’ title.

Speaking in a Red Bull team statement, Marko said:

“Christian and I have worked together very successfully for over 20 years – both in Formula 1 and in Formula 3000. I would like to sincerely thank Christian for that. During this time, we were able to celebrate an incredible number of outstanding achievements. We helped develop two World Drivers’ Champions and several Grand Prix winners. That has always been – and still is – the Red Bull way. As for the current sporting situation: there are still twelve races to go, and we will continue to fight for the Drivers’ Championship as long as it’s mathematically possible.”

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Bernie Ecclestone reacts to the departure of Christian Horner from Red Bull

Bernie Ecclestone criticized the sudden and unexplained dismissal of Christian Horner from Red Bull Racing, suggesting that only something as extreme as a serious act could justify such an abrupt move. In comments to RacingNews365, the former F1 supremo expressed disbelief at the way the situation unfolded, especially since he had spoken to Horner just a day prior and saw no signs that such a decision was looming.

He argued that even if Red Bull’s performance hadn’t met expectations, it wouldn’t typically warrant such immediate action without a proper notice period or clear explanation. Referring to recent meetings held between Horner and Red Bull executives in Austria and Silverstone, Ecclestone implied that the handling of the situation hinted at a deeper and possibly drastic trigger behind the scenes.

Asked to comment on Horner’s dismissal from Red Bull, Ecclestone said:

“It must be something very serious, in my opinion. I spoke to him the day before [on Monday] and he didn’t know. Well, he might have known, but he didn’t tell me. It was a normal conversation. We were talking about Max. Nothing to do with this, otherwise he would have told me. All I know is the message the whole world has got, which is, he’s been fired, effective immediately. It’s the effective immediately I don’t understand. Why would they ask him to leave with immediate effect? It’s like he’s murdered somebody.”

He added:

“You can understand, if you’re going to fire somebody, then you’d have a chat before and you’d come out with something like, ‘We’ve agreed to part company’, or something. But to come out and say, ‘You’re fired with immediate effect’, he must have done something a bit drastic for that to happen. Let’s assume they were unhappy with the results, which I can understand, that’s one thing, but to be fired immediately, that’s a different thing altogether.”

Based on how the situation unfolded and Christian Horner’s own address to Red Bull Racing staff, it is understood that he was informed of his dismissal only a day prior, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. The long-serving team principal is said to have addressed employees, including senior management at the Milton Keynes campus, on Wednesday before exiting the facility.

Horner’s departure marks a significant shift for the team. Over two decades, he played a pivotal role in building and managing Red Bull Racing with military-like precision. He also spearheaded the ambitious Red Bull Ford Powertrains project for the 2026 engine regulations, making his sudden exit even more impactful. His centralized leadership style leaves a major void across multiple departments, as he was deeply involved in both racing and corporate strategy.

In addition to Horner, two other key figures, Red Bull Group Director of Communications Paul Smith and Marketing Chief Oliver Hughes, are also reported to have stepped down, further deepening the leadership shake-up. Red Bull is currently fourth in the constructors' championship and third in the driver’s championship.