Christian Horner sign spotted by Martin Brundle two days before Red Bull axe
Christian Horner's sacking from Red Bull shook the F1 world, but Martin Brundle saw a sign that something was rumbling under the surface, before the news was reported
Martin Brundle has offered his thoughts on Christian Horner's sacking by Red Bull
(Image: Sky Sports F1/YouTube )
Christian Horner was "very, very quiet" and "introverted" at the memorial of the late Eddie Jordan two days before his Red Bull sacking. That is according to Martin Brundle, who was with Horner barely 48 hours before his Red Bull exit was announced.
Horner, aged 51, was shown the door by the F1 giants following a tenure that saw the team clinch six Constructors' Championships and eight World Drivers' titles with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. He had been integral to Red Bull's F1 story, joining as the youngest ever team principal in 2005, following their acquisition of Jaguar.
His exit was marked by an emotional goodbye at Red Bull's Milton Keynes base, where he reportedly shed some tears. The British GP - which saw Verstappen finish fifth, while Lando Norris took the title at Silverstone - proved to be Horner's final race at Red Bull.
While speaking to Horner at Jordan's memorial, Brundle admitted that he sensed something was afoot in his demeanour. The ex-driver-turned-reporter told the Sky Sports F1 podcast: "I saw Christian on Monday at the Eddie Jordan memorial and he was very, very quiet and very introverted.
"I must say, [he was] clearly a bit out of sorts. So, I'm perhaps not totally surprised. I'm saddened, because, I think Christian's done an incredible job picking up the bones of what was the Jaguar F1 team and what he's achieved in the last 20 years there.
"I consider him a friend, so it's a pity it's ended so abruptly like this. I did try to speak to Christian before we did this and he said he'll talk later... but that he hadn't been given any reason [for his sacking].
"It's seismic because he was such an integral part of the Red Bull team. He got Adrian Newey involved and, for example, every point, every podium, every victory, every World Championship that Max has and other drivers like Sebastian Vettel, Christian was at the helm."
Brundle was with Horner barely 48 hours before the news was announced
(Image: Kym Illman, Getty Images )
Sky Sports News has also claimed that two senior management figures within the company have followed Horner out of the exit door. The energy drinks brand confirmed that Laurent Mekies will be stepping up from Racing Bulls to replace him as chief executive officer and team principal.
His exit brings an end to a testing 18 months. That spell began with allegations of inappropriate behaviour by a female colleague, which he denied, being made against him in February 2024, before they were dismissed after an appeal that summer.
While Verstappen lifted his fourth world title in the 2024 campaign, McLaren claimed the Constructors' Championship. They have since usurped Red Bull in both areas.
Horner's last race as Red Bull team principal was the British GP
(Image: Getty )
McLaren duo Norris and Piastri are both ahead of third-placed Verstappen, who is 69 points behind the latter. Red Bull are also currently fourth in the team standings.
They are a whopping 288 points behind McLaren. Moreover, Horner has had to grapple with Newey's departure to Aston Martin and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley's move to Sauber.
Horner has previously been linked with moves to Ferrari and Alpine, but has always pledged to remain loyal to Red Bull. Now that the F1 powerhouses have chosen to part with him, it remains to be seen if Horner is still reluctant to move to another F1 side.
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Telegraph
38 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Red Bull staff told to smile more as Christian Horner's exit papers over the cracks
Formula One is famous for making lots of noise, but the silence at Red Bull on Friday was frankly deafening. After the day of the long knives a fortnight ago – comprising the bombshell dismissal of team principal Christian Horner after 20 years and 405 consecutive races in charge, along with a couple of his senior lieutenants – this was the first real opportunity for those responsible to explain their reasoning. Oliver Mintzlaff, the former RB Leipzig chief executive who now runs the Red Bull GmBH division responsible for Formula 1, was present in the Spa paddock, along with a few of his sidekicks, including Ahmet Mercan, the global head of motorsports corporate projects. Helmut Marko, the octogenarian motorsport advisor who oversees Red Bull's junior talent programme, was also present and correct. These were the men who fired Horner in a London meeting on July 8, and who then waited in the Racing Bulls factory the following day while Horner tearfully addressed staff. No reason was given for Horner's sacking in the brief statement that followed from Red Bull Racing. Horner was not given one in person either. The Telegraph has been told that Marko was of the opinion that it had become 'more Christian Horner Racing than Red Bull Racing'. But in the statement put out, Mintzlaff merely thanked the 51-year-old for his 'tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking', adding that Horner would 'forever remain an important part of our team history'. Cameras and notepads were therefore poised when Marko and Mintzlaff arrived in Belgium. But in the end neither man said anything. Mintzlaff apparently came close to talking a few times, but decided against it. Marko, who usually cannot resist a microphone, merely smiled and declined to speak to journalists who hovered. In that respect, the Austrian was at least following the advice he gave to Red Bull staff in a spectacularly ill-judged address the day after Horner's dismissal, when he told the stunned workforce to 'smile more' and 'work 10 per cent harder'. 'It was really awkward,' said one person who was there, adding that Marko 'completely failed to read the room'. Sources within the team suggest morale on the factory floor in those first few days after the announcement was at rock bottom. Horner has his enemies within the paddock. And despite being cleared by two internal inquiries in last year's sexting scandal, he was clearly not blameless in that affair. But he also remained immensely popular within the factory. He gave most of the people at Red Bull their jobs, growing the team from 300 to well over 1000. He signed off on their bonuses, their annual leave. He created the culture which led to 124 F1 wins and 14 titles. Senior figures were clearly blind-sided, too. The likes of chief engineer Paul Monaghan, technical director Pierre Wache and Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero 'GP' Lambiase, recently promoted to head of racing, all stood by Horner last year. Lambiase will miss this weekend's race in Spa, as he did Austria last month, although it is understood to be for personal reasons. The Telegraph has also been told that multiple team sponsors – all of whom were brought in by Horner, or by his chief marketing officer Olly Hughes, were also shocked and upset at the manner of Horner's departure. None was consulted. It remains to be seen whether any of them says so publicly. 'Christian has been supportive,' says replacement The shock has subsided to a degree. That is understandable. If nothing else, Formula One teams adapt and move forward. The new man Laurent Mekies appears to be well-liked and is doing his best. The Frenchman made a good impression in his first FIA press conference yesterday. 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Horner's lawyers are currently negotiating a settlement that could be worth anywhere between £50m and £100m. But as long as it remains, it will be filled with speculation. Were the Verstappens behind Horner's sacking? Marko did say one thing on the record on Friday, to De Telegraaf, dismissing speculation that the Verstappens were in any way involved as 'complete nonsense'. But they must have been a factor, directly or indirectly. Were the shareholders terrified of Verstappen leaving? Intriguingly, the Telegraph understands Thai majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya visited Verstappen in Monaco on the afternoon Horner was fired. Were they jealous of Horner's power and influence? The communications consultant who Marko has parachuted in for the next four races did tell the Telegraph on Thursday, when asked for the reason for his dismissal, that 'the can is the star, not the man'. Were they worried by declining performance? By the endless off-track controversy? 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2 hours ago
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Luke Humphries showed true colours after inspiring World Matchplay star to return to darts
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Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
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