Christian Horner Fired After 20 Years of Domination with Red Bull Racing
Horner had led the Red Bull team since it joined the Formula 1 grid in 2005, during which time it achieved tremendous success, including eight drivers' world championships and six constructors' titles.
The team has not given a reason for the firing but issued a statement on social media thanking Horner and adding that he "will forever remain an important part of our team history."
After 20 years of building the Red Bull Racing team from a fledgling outfit into one of the greatest teams in Formula 1 history, Christian Horner was fired as team principal and CEO, effective Wednesday.
"We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years," Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull CEO of corporate projects and investments, said in a release.
"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, you will forever remain an important part of our team history."
As part of the ensuing shuffle, Red Bull announced it has promoted the current Racing Bulls team principal, Laurent Mekies, to CEO of Red Bull Racing. Alan Permane, the current racing director for the Racing Bulls, is being promoted to team principal of the sister team.
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Horner has led the Red Bull team since it joined the Formula 1 grid in 2005. After bouncing among several engine suppliers through its first few years on the grid, the Red Bull team eventually landed what would become a long-term partnership with Renault. With its first wins behind it and a young Sebastian Vettel behind the wheel, Red Bull's first era of dominance stretched from 2010 through 2013 and included four consecutive double world championships.
While Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes dominated the sport for the next seven years, Red Bull continued to be a top team—and both Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo spent several years battling the Silver Arrows for victories. While Mercedes ultimately won the 2021 Constructors' Championship, Max Verstappen nabbed his first of four World Drivers' Championships from Hamilton and hasn't given up the title since.
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In total, Horner has led Red Bull to 124 race victories, 107 pole positions, 287 podium finishes, eight drivers' world championships, and six constructors' titles. But despite a fairy-tale first two decades in the sport, Red Bull's 2025 season has fallen short. McLaren now has the dominant car and leads the championship, while several key team members have left Red Bull.
Recent weeks have also seen the emergence of new rumors suggesting that Max Verstappen could join Mercedes before his contract ends in 2028. While the team hasn't publicly announced why Horner was fired, there's solid evidence to suggest the decision was made to appease Max Verstappen, whose father and manager, Jos Verstappen, has had a contentious relationship with Horner in recent years. There's also the possibility that Verstappen has announced his intentions to leave the team, and the firing came as a result. Car and Driver has reached out to Red Bull for comment and will update this story when we get a response.
Jack Fitzgerald
Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. Read full bio
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