The dismissal of Red Bull team boss Christian Horner had been looming for a year and a half, but the Brit held on, largely due to his ability to navigate through all storms. The impending departure of Max Verstappen to rival Mercedes – coupled with disappointing results in recent months – ultimately toppled Horner from his pedestal.
The leadership of parent company Red Bull GmbH certainly took into account the potential loss of figurehead Verstappen when deciding to finally – at last – take drastic action. Over the past few years, however, Horner had been making a mess of things in several respects.
Last week in Silverstone, the focus around the British GP was primarily on Mercedes’ serious interest in prying Max Verstappen away from Red Bull. The four-time world champion does have an ongoing contract (until 2028), but could potentially get out of it under certain conditions/performance clauses. Alternatively, the ongoing contract could be bought out by Mercedes. This would involve a sum of over one hundred million euros.
Verstappen’s management emphasized in Silverstone that a decision – whether to stay or look elsewhere – will largely depend on the sporting prospects for the coming years. At Red Bull, however, questions and concerns are predominantly prevalent.
‘It would be embarrassing’
Next year, a new engine regulation will come into effect in Formula 1. Forced by the announced departure of engine manufacturer Honda, Red Bull is developing its own power source for the first time in its history through the new division Red Bull Powertrains, with Ford assisting in the background. But can too much be expected from this? Interestingly enough, even Horner openly doubted this in Silverstone: “Do we expect to be ahead of Mercedes next year? It would be embarrassing for Mercedes if that were the case.”
Between the lines, Verstappen’s camp made it clear that feeling and trust are important in making a choice. Both have been severely tested in recent months.
Behind the scenes, Red Bull has been in turmoil for quite some time. Last year, the season started in Bahrain with the scandalous controversy surrounding Horner, who was accused of sexual misconduct by a female employee. The painful affair caused enormous damage to Red Bull’s reputation, so much so that major sponsors threatened to leave. In Dietrich Mateschitz’s time, Horner would probably have been dismissed without hesitation, but under the new leadership, particularly Thai majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya, he was given the benefit of the doubt. Not least because Horner is a master at manipulating people.
Strained Relations
The Horner issue was internally investigated by Red Bull, and he was acquitted, but the case is still ongoing in the background. The woman involved is reportedly preparing a civil case to be heard in 2026. The case strained the internal relations within the team and the relationship between Horner and Jos Verstappen reached a new low. The latter repeatedly stated that the team would benefit from stability and that Horner’s departure was necessary for this. There were also clashes between Horner and Red Bull executive Helmut Marko. The latter even threatened to be fired, at Horner’s behest. In other words, the team was far from being a well-oiled machine.
A climate of quarrel and mistrust is generally not conducive to sporting success. In that sense, it was already a significant achievement that Max Verstappen managed to retain his world title in 2024 despite all the off-track turmoil. At the same time, the turning point was already clearly visible, including the announced departure of Honda and the exit of many key personnel. Think of master designer Adrian Newey, chief designer Rob Marshall, and sports director Jonathan Wheatley.
This season, it is clear that the gaps that have arisen have not been adequately filled. To the frustration of the Verstappen camp, not least Max Verstappen himself. The early sacrifice of Liam Lawson as the second driver also rubbed Verstappen the wrong way earlier this season, as did the fact that his opinion apparently carried insufficient weight.
Free Fall
On the track, a sporting resurgence was not forthcoming. Meanwhile, Horner consistently downplayed the problems. He long held the support and trust of Chalerm Yoovidhya, the Thai shareholder of Red Bull GmbH, but even that turned out not to be unconditional. The free fall of Red Bull and the looming departure of figurehead Verstappen eventually triggered a panic reflex.
The remaining question is whether Horner’s dismissal comes too late. It appears that Red Bull Racing has to start over and first clean house internally. And Max Verstappen? He has already said his goodbyes in his mind. At Mercedes, Max and Jos Verstappen and manager Reraymond Vermeulen will certainly be welcomed with open arms. The coffee is always ready there. In fact, they already know how it tastes…
