"I know the British media like to show him as a villain": Red Bull employee thanks Christian Horner as the 51-year-old gets sacked from the team

Christian Horner was axed by Red Bull in a sudden turn of events, as the Austrian squad had seen a downturn in form. He was viewed with skepticism in the British media, owing to his recent work ethic. However, a Red Bull employee has spoken up about the 51-year-old and expressed gratitude for working alongside Horner, amid the British media's altered portrayal.

The Austrian energy drink maker had bought the Jaguar outfit and handed over the responsibility to the hands of Horner. The Briton made several crucial recruits like Adrian Newey's arrival in 2006 and star drivers like Sebastian Vettel, which helped the team achieve its first successful F1 stint.

Though the Milton Keynes-based squad's exile at the top of the ladder ended in 2021, a mass exodus soon began in light of the accusations made against Horner last year. Red Bull had initially protected the 51-year-old's role, but the team's downward trajectory, second driver problems, and Max Verstappen's possible interest in moving to Mercedes led the hierarchy to fire Horner from his previous duties.

Moreover, a myriad of narratives soon started surfacing on the web since Christian Horner's axing, but a Red Bull Racing F1 employee, Andy Richardson, called out the British media for making a perception of Horner as a villain, and wrote on LinkedIn:

"I know the British media like to show him as a villain but you won’t find a more people-first orientated leader in the world. Turned a run down team inherited from Jaguar into 6-time world champions. Red Bull was a dream to work for, thank you Christian."

On the other hand, after Horner was told that he was relieved of his duties, he was given the chance to share a farewell speech to his team at Milton Keynes, where he reportedly broke down into tears.

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Christian Horner shares that he was caught blindsided by Red Bull's decision to sack him

Christian Horner at Red Bull Racing Factory in Milton Keynes - Source: Getty

Christian Horner helped build the Milton Keynes-based squad into a championship-winning empire in F1. The 51-year-old was at the helm of the operation and looked to have considerable job security owing to the team's track record under his leadership.

However, the news about his sacking even caught him off guard as the Briton had expressed his shock in his goodbye speech to Milton Keynes:

"It came as a shock to myself.... When I arrived 20 years ago, there were a few less grey hairs. I walked into a team and did not know what to expect but I was immediately welcomed and we started to build what became a powerhouse in F1. Watching and being part of this team, has been the biggest privilege of my life."

Meanwhile, Laurent Mekies has been promoted to Milton Keynes and will take over Horner's previous roles in the squad.