There’s been speculation for months, but the mid-season sacking of Christian Horner, Red Bull’s only Team Principal for 20 years, still feels surreal. From the moment the news dropped, fans and insiders have been piecing together what we actually know, what’s speculation, and what it all means for Red Bull Racing and F1 as a whole.
The blame game: Horner, Marko, or the car?
Interesting that Horner seems to be getting the blame for the second driver issues when Marko is the one who gets all the credit for the good drivers. It was Horner who pushed for renewing Perez early in 2024 while Marko was against it. If Marko had his way this would at least mean they wouldn’t be paying Perez to sit at home right now. But who would Marko have put in the seat instead? Lawson? Some think dropping Perez was a mistake altogether, out of Tsunoda, Lawson and Perez, Perez was probably the strongest racer.
People forget Red Bull’s bigger problem: the car itself. The team has taken the “peaky” car philosophy so far that it’s become undriveable for anyone except Max. As Albon once put it, it’s like a game controller set to max sensitivity. When Max leaves, it exposes how few people can extract performance from it. Some see Pierre Wache, the technical director, as the “true villain” here. If Newey was still at the team, maybe he’d shoulder more of the blame, but instead, he’s gone too, warning signs of this “development dead end” go back to 2023. Newey complained about the design, the team didn’t listen, and now he’s been vindicated.
The farewell: Inside Horner’s final day
Horner found out he’d been let go just a day before telling the team at 10 AM. He broke down during his emotional goodbye speech, got a huge ovation, and the staff were told to make no comments. It’s reported there’s a “unified sense of disappointment and sadness for a man who unified their team.” Two other senior figures, Chief Marketing Officer Oliver Hughes and Group Director of Communications Paul Smith, were let go too, signaling a regime change. The Austrians at HQ want their message out, not Horner’s. “Bury the pharaoh with his servants,” someone joked.
Briatore weighs in, Verstappen reacts, and the paddock holds its breath
Flavio Briatore, F1’s “supervillain”, was ironically the first to congratulate Horner: “20 years at the top says it all. A competitor on the track but also a friend off track.” As fans pointed out, it’s like the Joker paying tribute to the Scarecrow for fighting Batman. Everyone is now waiting for the real bombshell: what does Max do? Verstappen posted: “From my first race win, to four world championships, we have shared incredible successes. Thank you for everything, Christian!” For some, this confirms that Horner’s exit and Verstappen’s future are inseparable.
Power struggles, shareholder shifts and the Austrian coup
For months, it’s been clear that Red Bull Racing’s internal structure has been fracturing ever since Mateschitz’s death. Dietrich was a light-touch owner who let Horner run the show with minimal oversight. When he died, that power vacuum cracked the team apart: the Austrian side, led by Mintzlaff, wanted more control; the Thai Yoovidhya family still owned the controlling 51% stake and backed Horner.
But now, Chalerm Yoovidhya has transferred 2% to a trust company, reportedly dropping the Thai stake below majority. The Austrian camp could finally move on Horner without the Thai block. Some see this as the decisive factor: the Austrians wanted him gone for a while but were stuck at 49%, this shift opened the door.
Mekies in, Horner in limbo, and what’s next
Horner’s farewell statement, “I will still remain employed by the company, but operationally the baton will be handed over”, suggests a classic “gardening leave.” He’s still on the payroll, likely until data and secrets are no longer fresh. Some say he could land at Cadillac, Alpine, or even Ferrari once the dust settles. Laurent Mekies has been appointed both CEO and Team Principal, confirming the power grab is complete.
Meanwhile, drivers like Yuki Tsunoda have posted carefully worded tributes thanking Horner for “all the support you’ve given me this year.” Some think Mekies could save Yuki’s seat, others doubt it when there’s a logjam of juniors waiting.
The legacy and the question mark
124 wins. 6 Constructors’ Championships. 8 Drivers’ titles. Horner leaves as the second-most successful TP ever, behind only Ron Dennis. But he exits in a swirl of unresolved sexual harassment allegations, a fractured team, a risky in-house engine project for 2026, and the real possibility that Max Verstappen, the generational talent he helped build the team around, could walk too.
As one fan summed it up: “Horner did Littlefinger things and ended in a Littlefinger way.” F1 is ruthless. But no matter where you stand on Horner the man, there’s no denying what he built: a midfield Minardi reborn into a championship powerhouse that dominated two eras. Drivers come and go. So do Team Principals. But it’s hard to see Red Bull ever being quite the same again.
6x Constructors’
8x Drivers’
124 race wins, 12 sprint wins, 287 podiums, 107 pole positions, 100 fastest laps.
One hell of a record. And now, one hell of a power vacuum.