'50-year-old who thought he was 20′ – Bernie Ecclestone blasts ‘idiot' Christian Horner after he was sacked by Red Bull
The ex-Red Bull team principal seemed a permanent fixture in F1 until allegations of him
sending
to a female employee emerged last year.
Advertisement
4
Christian Horner was this week dismissed by Red Bull
Credit: PA
4
Bernie Ecclestone is friends with Horner - but didn't mince his words
Credit: AFP
Horner, 51, has consistently denied the claims of inappropriate and controlling behaviour made against him.
In February 2024, Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing after multiple probes.
He spent
The probe later investigated him allegedly sending improper messages to a woman.
Advertisement
READ MORE ON MOTORSPORT
A KC cleared Horner for a
Now F1 legend Bernie Ecclestone - a longtime friend of Horner - has criticised him for his conduct regarding the scandal.
He told the
"He was a 50-year-old who thought he was 20, thought he was one of the boys."
Advertisement
Most read in Motorsport
Exclusive
4
Horner with Spice Girl wife Geri
Credit: Splash
BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
Ecclestone and Horner's friendship extends to beyond the latter's arrival at Red Bull, with the pair reportedly attending each others weddings.
Ex-Formula One boss Ecclestone was not surprised with the sacking, suggesting that unease surrounding Horner's prominence within the Red Bull brand could have played a role.
Advertisement
Christian Horner SACKED by Red Bull F1! Shock Departure After 20 Years
He said: "It would probably have been better if they had said 'Come in Christian, sit down.'
"But the bottom line is there are people who thought he was getting away with things, that he was acting as if it was not the Red Bull ring, but the Christian Horner ring."
Horner gave an
He was not the only staff member to be fired, with a
Advertisement
Ecclestone suggests the timing of the decision to move on from Horner coinciding with Red Bull's struggles to compete this season is not a coincidence.
He continued: "He got away with so many things.
"All the time you are delivering , people close their eyes - but when you stop delivering, people start looking.
"One or two begin thinking 'Well I could do a better job.'"
Advertisement
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen is third in the standings while Red Bull trail McLaren by a whopping 288 points in the Constructors standings at the half way stage of the season.
The British racing executive ran the Red Bull F1 team for 20 years since his appointment in 2005, in which time he has become one of the most decorated team bosses of all time.
Horner's tenure oversaw six constructors titles and
EIGHT
drivers' championships across dominant spells with Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen.
The latter
Advertisement
Horner will be succeeded in his role by French engineer Laurent Mekies.
4
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Ireland's breakthrough star Jamie Meehan signs rare three-year WorldTour pro deal after ‘exceptional performances'
Meehan is the first Donegal rider to turn professional since Philip Deignan signed with Ag2r in 2004 The Charlestown youngster's pro contract came into effect today after an impressive debut while on trial with the French team at the three-day Tour de l'Ain last week. The 22-year-old managed to finish alongside teammate Sylvain Moniquet in the front group on Stage 1 despite spending most of the day fulfilling team duties and collecting bottles. On Stage 2, Meehan impressed even more when he rode hard on the front for Moniquet on the climbs and still managed to jump clear of the chase group in the final kilometres to take third place behind two breakaway riders on another tough day in the mountains. 'After the day I was third in Tour de l'Ain, I got back on the team bus, had a shower, got into the car and checked my phone,' a delighted Meehan said today. 'I had a message from (team manager) Cedric Vasseur and from my agent. I think they were talking before the end of the stage to say they wanted to take me. They missed the last 10km of the stage but me finishing off that day with a result really stamped it into the ground I guess.' Meehan finished second overall in Rás Tailteann earlier in the year, despite going into it with a broken bone in his hand, and has had a fantastic season as an U-23 in France. Riding with AVC Aix-en-Provence, a club that has previously provided several riders to the Cofidis pro team, including Tour de France stage winner Christophe Laporte, Meehan took second on Stage 5 of the Alpes Isere Tour, third at two one-day races in the Pyrenees and soloed to victory at the prestigious Roger Walkowiak Trophy, a French Cup race, before his trial period with Cofidis In a time where two-year contracts are the norm for new riders, Meehan's neo-pro deal will see him race in the red and yellow of Cofidis for the next three years. 'His integration was swift,' said his new WorldTour team today of Meehan's ride at Tour de l'Ain. 'From the second stage, he managed to keep pace with the best and secure an incredible third place. At the end of this three-day race, he finished 14th overall and, more importantly, third best young rider. 'These exceptional performances are matched by his ability to adapt very quickly to the team's structure. In the process, the team management, led by Cedric Vasseur, decided to make a rare decision to offer him a three-year contract immediately.' Meehan's first race as a professional will be tomorrow's Polynormande, a one-day race in Normandy, after which he will join the Irish national team for one last race in the U-23 rankings at the Tour de l'Avenir, the 10-day race known as the U23 Tour de France, next weekend 'It's super exciting,' Meehan said. 'It's something I've worked a long time for, so it's kind of weird that it's finally here. I kind of have to step back for a bit, to see what's next, but I'm mainly just looking forward to getting the chance to keep improving, keep learning and see where it goes.'
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Anthony Joshua would KO Jake Paul with ease but that doesn't make fight dangerous for YouTube star, claims David Haye
Find out the latest on the shock fight talks JAKE TO SAY Anthony Joshua would KO Jake Paul with ease but that doesn't make fight dangerous for YouTube star, claims David Haye DAVID HAYE has revealed the bizarre reason why Jake Paul fighting Anthony Joshua isn't the disaster waiting to happen that boxing fans fear. YouTube prankster-turned-prizefighter Paul and two-time heavyweight champion AJ are in talks for a controversial bout next year. 4 Jake Paul looks is in talks to fight Anthony Joshua Credit: Getty 4 Joshua has been backed to win by KO with ease Credit: Getty Advertisement That is despite the massive size, skill and experience disparity between the pair. Joshua, 35, brutally knocked out ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou, 38, in two rounds of their crossover clash in Riyadh in March 2024. A year earlier, Paul, 28, suffered his first and so far only loss in the ring against Tommy Fury, 26, via split-decision. He has since improved to 12-1 and earned himself a 14th ranked place in the WBA's cruiserweight rankings after beating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Advertisement READ MORE IN BOXING A FUR THING Itauma 'more impressive than Joshua and Fury' and must become world champion But moving up to heavyweight to fight AJ - who stands 6ft 6in and 18 STONE - is seen as a dangerous suicide mission amongst almost all fans. But, former cruiserweight and heavyweight champ Haye reckons it will be painless for Paul and over before he even knows it. The HighBet ambassador told SunSport: "I don't think it's dangerous at all! "You don't really get any damage when you get knocked spark out. It doesn't give you brain damage. Advertisement 4 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS "Even Ngannou, how much damage did the AJ fight do to Ngannou? And Ngannou is a lot bigger and stronger than Jake Paul. "He just knocked him out, he just turned his lights out once, that was it. Well put him down once, put him down again. Itauma told 'anything other than becoming world champion is a failure' with Brit 'more impressive than Joshua and Fury' "He had maybe a headache the next day, but there was no damage done, so I think it's actually quite a safe fight because it'll be over very, very fast." Advertisement Paul did fight at heavyweight last November when Mike Tyson came out of retirement at the age of 58 - losing over eight shorter two-minute rounds. The American bulked up to 227lb (16st 2lb) and admitted to struggling to even RUN due to the weight gain. He moved back down to the 200lb cruiserweight limit of 14st 4lb in June when he beat ex-middleweight champ Chavez Jr, 39, over ten rounds. That is FOUR STONE lighter than Joshua - who is yet to return since his KO loss to Daniel Dubois last September. Talks with his promoter Eddie Hearn and Paul's promotional partner Nakisa Bidarian have continued - including a one-hour meeting in person. Advertisement Hearn has even labelled the negotiations "advanced" and believes Paul is now the frontrunner for AJ's next opponent. The fight is likely to fall in 2026 with America, Britain and Saudi all potential hosts.
The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Lewis Hamilton hints he is taking a break with cryptic two-word tweet after Ferrari star's F1 struggles
The tweet follows his explosive comments regarding Ferrari's choice of driver taking a brake Lewis Hamilton hints he is taking a break with cryptic two-word tweet after Ferrari star's F1 struggles LEWIS HAMILTON has put fans on alert after making a curt and cryptic post to his social media accounts. The seven-time world champion hinted that he is taking a break from social media in a two-word post uploaded to his 8.6 million followers on X. 5 Lewis Hamilton has posted a series of cryptic messages on his social media accounts Credit: Getty 5 The racing legend posted images of himself and his dog Roscoe in a scenic natural environment Credit: Instagram / lewishamilton 5 He captioned the posts around the theme of getting away from his phone, and by extension, social media Credit: Instagram / lewishamilton The F1 legend has had a tough run of things in recent weeks as he continues his struggle to find his feet with new team Ferrari this season. Hamilton's message to fans was simply "back soon," implying the British sporting icon is stepping away from social media for a spell. This ties in with his earlier posts from this afternoon, when he posted a scenic picture of him and his bulldog Roscoe with the caption "Outta office." He posted similar sentiments to his Instagram account, captioning the same images "DND" - Do Not Disturb. READ MORE IN F1 LEW SHOULD GO Hamilton told to quit F1 and demand £180m before 'anything bad happens' When one fan replied with "touching grass, literally" - a reference to a phrase meaning to get out of your house or place of work and go outside, he replied in agreement. "Exactly," the 40-year-old said, suggesting he is taking the time away from social media to reconnect with other areas of his life. It is no surprise that the racing champion is keen to get away from it all, considering the brutal few weeks he has been through recently on the track. Hamilton did not land with the splash he was hoping for since making the switch from Mercedes to Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season and has failed to make any real headway in the championship race. 5 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS He is yet to register a podium finish this season, and sits 42 points behind teammate and five-time podium holder Charles Leclerc in the drivers' standings. But it was in the most recent races in Belgium and Hungary that things really escalated for the Stevenage native. 'I'm absolutely useless' - Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari 'need to change driver' after Hungarian GP qualifying nightmare Hamilton had a nightmare start to the Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa in late July, qualifying in 16th after a shocking knockout in Q1. But things went from bad to worse as he was slapped with a 60-place grid penalty and forced to start from 18th after taking on a new power unit. He was keen to right his wrongs at the Hungarian GP the following week, but things were only going to get more dire. Hamilton only managed to make it to Q2 at the Hungaroring, prompting an outburst in a post-qualifying interview in which he labelled himself "absolutely useless." "It's me every time. I'm useless, absolutely useless," he said following his 12th place qualifying finish. 5 Hamilton appeared distraught as he talked media through his disappointing qualifying performance Credit: Getty "The team have no problem. You've seen the car's on pole so we probably need to change driver." Former team boss Toto Wolff came out in defence of Hamilton following his comments, and suggested that he could still come back and challenge at the very top of the sport. F1 icon Bernie Ecclestone was perhaps the Brit's harshest critic, suggesting Hamilton should retire before his legacy suffers at the hands of his declining performances. Whether it be his conduct on or off the track, or the comments of those around him in F1, it is becoming increasingly clear that the pressure is mounting on the shoulders of one of the best to ever do it. His next chance to turn things around will be at the Dutch GP at Zandvoort in two weeks.
