logo
Red Bull Racing and Christian Horner part ways

Red Bull Racing and Christian Horner part ways

The Citizen4 days ago
Reports suggest the Milton Keynes-based team's CEO was let go as a result of the team's poor showing this year.
Red Bull has reportedly terminated its relations with F1 boss Christian Horner with immediate effect. Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP
Christian Horner is to leave his role as Red Bull team principal with immediate effect after 20 years, the Formula One team announced on Wednesday.
He oversaw a period of dominance by the team with eight world titles won and the drivers' championship claimed eight times, with Max Verstappen winning the past four titles, and six constructors' crowns.
However, Horner's fortunes have dipped in the past 18 months after being accused of sexual harassment and coercive, controlling behaviour by a female employee.
Although Horner was cleared twice, there have been rumblings of discontent within the team, several high-profile departures, and their form has tailed off.
'Red Bull has released Christian Horner from his operational duties with effect from today (Wednesday 9 July 2025) and has appointed Laurent Mekies as CEO of Red Bull Racing,' read the statement from Red Bull.
Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO Corporate Projects and Investments, paid the departing team chief a fulsome tribute.
'We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years,' he said in a statement.
'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.'
Horner's departure comes amidst speculation that Verstappen may be tempted to jump ship to Mercedes.
Although the Dutchman won the title last year, he only stood on the top step of the podium twice in the final 14 races.
Other key figures responsible for Red Bull's dominance have left in the past year-and-a-half.
Designer Adrian Newey signed for Aston Martin and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley joined Sauber, who are beginning to show signs of his influence with Nico Hulkenberg claiming his first ever podium finish in last Sunday's British Grand Prix.
Verstappen by contrast finished fifth having started on pole, which has resulted in a fifth place championship ranking 69 points behind leader Oscar Piastri at the halfway point of the campaign.
Red Bull are fourth in the constructors' standings, 288 points behind leaders McLaren with Ferrari and Mercedes also ahead of them in the standings.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Can Brad Binder move up the pack in second half of the season?
Can Brad Binder move up the pack in second half of the season?

IOL News

time13 hours ago

  • IOL News

Can Brad Binder move up the pack in second half of the season?

Brad Binder did not finish the race because of the crash in the French MotoGP. | Red Bull Brad Binder will be looking to find a dry line in the wet Sachsenring in Germany this weekend as the riders battle out for top spots in Qualification on Saturday. Binder's team mate Pedro Acosta has looked faster than him this weekend so far, which has been laden with deluges of rain. The new father got into the mix at Qualifying on Saturday and "scraped" a way through to the second round. Binder said there was plenty to improve on his bike before the third qualifying round and main race. "Into Q2 with P10. Scraped through but stoked to be back in the mix Felt more solid on the bike today and got the lap in when it counted. Plenty still to improve but we're making steps every time out," Binder said. The RC16 has been in the news this season and not for good reasons, mainly because of its lack of development due to the teams financial struggles emanating from headquarters. As a result, the bike was rumoured to be undergoing development problems in the aerodynamics department. But KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer said these allegations were false and the company's financial troubles was not linked to the racing team's ill-performance. During the Friday practice session, Binder cracked the top ten pace leaders and looked comfortable on the RC16. Acosta on the other hand was top five pace. Acosta's ride with the front of the pack in practice meant the KTM was worthy of fighting at the front. There's no telling where Binder's confidence is at this point in the season but he's had a few clutch crashes that's hindered his ability to compete in the main race. At the Italian Grand Prix, Binder crashed with Johann Zarco during the Spring race but showed he still had fight in him, claiming a top 10 finish in the main race. Binder pushed the RC16 to the absolute limit. The South African rider has acknowledge that he needs to better his performance over the single lap. At the last race in Amsterdam, he qualified in 16th place, making like on Sunday really difficult aside from the Dutch heat eating through the tyres quicker than usual. Again, he fought through, managed his tyres as best as he could and took home a P11 finish. Now with the German GP ahead of him, fans and arguably Binder himself are hoping to make a break into the top ten and take home some points. Binder's 13th on the rider standings while Acosta has leaped ahead to 8th place.

Kagiso Dikgacoi discusses Arrows-Royal AM early transfer strategy
Kagiso Dikgacoi discusses Arrows-Royal AM early transfer strategy

IOL News

time13 hours ago

  • IOL News

Kagiso Dikgacoi discusses Arrows-Royal AM early transfer strategy

SABELO Sithole is among the players Lamontville Golden Arrows move quickly to snatch from the Royal AM rubble. | BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Golden Arrows assistant coach Kagiso Dikgacoi believes securing several Royal AM players ahead of the new season has given the club a crucial head start as they look to strengthen their squad and identity. The Durban-based outfit took advantage of Royal AM's financial collapse and the termination of their PSL membership by swooping in early to sign some of Thwihli Thwahla's most experienced and reliable performers. 'It's always good to have a big squad to look at your options. The guys that came in towards the end of the season are very, very good players and had a huge impact at Royal AM,' said Dikgacoi, speaking at the launch of the KZN Premier's Cup on Tuesday. Golden Arrows secured the services of Ayanda Jiyane, Thabo Matlaba, Philani Sithebe, Xolani Ngcobo, Shadrack Kobedi, Sabelo Sithole, Ayabulela Maxwele, and Siphesihle Msomi – all of whom were on Royal AM's books before the club's dramatic exit from the top flight. Golden Arrows have completed the signing of former Royal AM midfielder Sabelo Sithole#BetwayPrem #SthendeWay#RoyalAM — Matakanye Robert (@MatakanyeJuwas) April 7, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading For Dikgacoi and the rest of the Arrows technical team, getting those players in the door before pre-season has allowed for smoother integration and better planning. 'It's unfortunate that they came at a later stage [last season], which means they arrived unfit,' he explained. 'But now they're with us from the start of pre-season and they've already gotten used to the environment – the adjustment period is done.' Many of the players joined Abafana Bes'thende before the 2024/25 campaign ended, which allowed them to get a taste of the club's structure, style of play, and expectations. That head start, according to Dikgacoi, will be crucial as Arrows look to rebuild around a clearer vision. 'In terms of other signings, the club will make an announcement of both those who have come in and the ones who have gone,' he said. 'Hopefully, we're gonna bring in players that will adjust well and fit into the system and the identity of Golden Arrows.' Arrows endured a turbulent 2024/25 season, narrowly escaping the relegation zone. The club is now keen on bouncing back and re-establishing itself as a force in the Betway Premiership – and Dikgacoi believes the recent additions bring the right balance of quality and experience. The immediate test for the reshaped squad and technical team comes later this month when they take on KwaZulu-Natal rivals AmaZulu in the KZN Premier's Cup – a match that will offer a glimpse into how far the squad has come since the integration of the new arrivals. Having a solid pre-season with most of their new players already familiar with the club's setup, Arrows are hoping their early moves in the transfer market pay dividends when the real business kicks off.

A dozen Mercedes-AMG E53 Edition 1 models heads for Mzansi
A dozen Mercedes-AMG E53 Edition 1 models heads for Mzansi

The Citizen

time13 hours ago

  • The Citizen

A dozen Mercedes-AMG E53 Edition 1 models heads for Mzansi

Petrol engine and electric motor combine to deliver system output of up to 450kW and 750Nm. Only 12 people in South Africa will have the chance to own the Mercedes-AMG E53 Edition 1. Picture: Supplied Mercedes-Benz South Africa have just confirmed that we are getting an allocation of only 12 units of their exclusive AMG E 53 Hybrid 4Matic+ Edition 1. It is touted as a limited-production model that perfectly combines electrified performance and AMG design. This translates into this Edition 1 model being as exclusive as it is exhilarating. Featuring Mercedes-AMG high performance hybrid technology, the E53 Edition 1 raises the bar further with unique styling cues, an exclusive colour palette, and a meticulously curated list of high-value options. It is not only a statement of innovation but also a celebration of Affalterbach's high-performance DNA in its most refined plug-in hybrid form to date. Petrol and electricity unite The heart of any true performance car is the powertrain. Here the E53 Edition 1 offers Mercedes-AMG's formidable 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo engine combined with a 120kW electric motor. Together, they generate a system output of up to 450kW and 750Nm of torque. Using the Race Start, launch control function of the car, Affalterbach claims a 0 to 100 km/h sprint time of just 3.8 seconds. The fully variable AMG Performance 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system, along with active rear-axle steering, ensures maximum traction, agility, and control in every situation. Not to be outdone when it comes to efficiency, this AMG offers both capability and everyday practicality. A standard 11kW AC onboard charger and standard 60kW DC fast charger allow the battery to be replenished from 10% to 80% in approximately 20 minutes. While the electromechanical brake booster supports seamless transitions between recuperative and hydraulic braking, enabling sustained regenerative performance and reducing brake wear. ALSO READ: Bahn-storming, hybrid-assisted Mercedes-AMG E53 finally priced Mercedes-AMG E53 best of both worlds With a range of AMG Dynamic Select drive modes, including 'Electric', 'Battery Hold', and 'Sport+', you can tailor your driving experience from whisper-quiet efficiency to full-throttle excitement. The Mercedes-AMG E53 Edition 1 is ideal for everyday city commutes, while this electric range also supports the car's performance aspirations, with electric assistance always on standby to provide immediate torque and responsiveness. Each of the 12 units are clad in Manufaktur Alpine Grey, making this exclusive Edition 1 model unmistakable when looking at it. A theme that continues into the cabin where you have contrasting yellow topstitching and yellow seatbelt highlights and exclusive AMG badging that further differentiate this rare model. ALSO READ: Record setting Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance priced The Edition 1 rides on 21-inch AMG forged alloy wheels. Picture: Supplied The Mercedes-AMG E53 Edition 1 models arrive in highly optioned specification, including larger 21-inch AMG forged wheels, the AMG Night Package, and the AMG Exterior Carbon Package. From the illuminated AMG-specific grille to the sporty diffuser with round quad tailpipes, the Edition 1 is visually unmistakable as a collector's item. ALSO READ: Fitting goodbye? Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe nails it Feel like an F1 driver Moving inside, AMG Performance seats, MBUX Superscreen with passenger monitor and hybrid-specific displays greet you. The digital instrument cluster and media display provide real-time performance data, energy flow, and drive mode selection. A host of normally optional additions come standard on the E53 Edition 1. You get the AMG Driver's Package, AMG high-performance compound brake system, AMG Performance seats, AMG Dynamic Plus Package, AMG Ride Control suspension, AMG Performance steering wheel, AMG electronic rear-axle limited-slip differential to mane but a few of the items now included. The idea with the Mercedes-AMG E 53 Edition 1 is that customers will have access to a vehicle that is not only rare but fully packed with the features that they require. This is rare opportunity for AMG enthusiasts and collectors. The Mercedes-AMG E53 HYBRID 4MATIC+ Edition 1 retails for R3 228 200 and this includes a five-year/100 000 km PremiumDrive Comfort Care Service and Maintenance Plan.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store