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Red Bull has sacked CEO and Team Principal Christian Horner of his duties with immediate effect as the top management made the call after another disastrous weekend in Silverstone. The team boss and his position within the squad have been under the microscope since last season.
Red Bull dominated the sport to win the championship in 2023, but the drop-off in performance since then has been significant. Coupled with how many experienced personnel dropped off the squad in the last few years, the team is currently not in a position to fight for either of the championships.
At the same time, it does appear that star driver Max Verstappen was looking around and not willing to commit his future to Red Bull. With news coming out that the Dutch driver was linked with Mercedes and having conversations with Toto Wolff, there were suggestions that the driver could move to the German squad next season.
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Amongst all of this comes the bombshell announcement that Christian Horner has been sacked by Red Bull. The 51-year-old veteran was one of the first people hired on the team, and he has been there for 2 decades. In the press release, Oliver Mintzlaff thanked Horner for the contribution he's made to the Milton Keynes Squad,
"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."
Christian Horner's record at Red Bull
Christian Horner's record at Red Bull has been stellar, as he took what was essentially a drinks-company-backed team and made them the sport's biggest giant. The team debuted in 2005. It signed Adrian Newey in 2006, and by 2009 it won its first race.
From 2010 to 2013, the squad went on to win world championships spearheaded by Sebastian Vettel. From 2014 to 2020, the team went on a barren run where it could not even compete for the title. From 2021 onwards, the team has gone on to win 4 more driver championships and two constructor championships.
With Dietrich Mateschitz passing away, the team's core of not being involved in any politics whatsoever has taken a beating. The start of the 2024 season saw Horner being attacked in the media and the team being divided between him and the Verstappen family.
The future remains uncertain for both Christian Horner and the Austrian squad. The decision is not a planned one but made in jest and could potentially be one to keep Max Verstappen in the team.
