Nico Rosberg: Christian Horner Red Bull F1 Sacking "Unthinkable"
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Sky Sports F1 commentator Nico Rosberg addressed Christian Horner leaving Red Bull after the massive shake-up.
Horner got removed from his position after the board at the energy drink company lost confidence in his leadership.
He was embroiled in several controversies as the team leader, including personal scandals. Red Bull became a powerhouse under Horner, but over the past 18 months, it has experienced a downturn in form.
Former Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies has been promoted to the main leadership position at Red Bull, replacing Christian Horner.
Newly appointed Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies (R) speaks for a television next to former German driver Nico Rosberg ahead of the start of the Sprint Race of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix...
Newly appointed Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies (R) speaks for a television next to former German driver Nico Rosberg ahead of the start of the Sprint Race of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Spa, on July 26, 2025. More
Photo byThe team is moving forward and trying to get a reset, though Rosberg remains shocked at Horner's absence.
"Christian Horner not being here anymore is unthinkable. That's completely unreal," he said on the Sky Sports broadcast.
"It was a big, big shock and surprise to everybody, including himself. He didn't see it coming at all, nor did anybody in the team.
"But of course, it was a long time in the making. Coming on from last year, from all the issues that he'd been having there, so I think this was just a result of that.
"But nobody really still knows 100 percent what exactly happened."
Red Bull sits in fourth among the constructors' standings, more than 200 points behind the leading McLaren team.
The team's lead driver, Max Verstappen, sits in third, but far from title contention, trailing Lando Norris by a little less than 60 points.
Red Bull is on track for a disappointing season, considering its lofty ambitions from the team and its driver.
The driver alongside Verstappen hasn't carried their weight over the last few years, exacerbating the issue within half the team.
Verstappen has clauses in his contract that could trigger a move to another team, leaving Red Bull desperate to change their fortunes.
A combination of the team's struggles, Verstappen's impending exit, and Horner's alleged inappropriate conduct towards a female employee likely all contributed to a drastic in-season decision.
Even after all the success Horner brought, the team's ownership decided that enough was enough.
More news: Emotional Kimi Antonelli Opens Up About Confidence Struggles At Belgian GP
Lewis Hamilton Issues Apology After Rough Belgium GP Weekend
Max Verstappen Issues RB21 Verdict After Red Bull Upgrades at Belgium GP
For more F1 news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Red Bull Confirms Yuki Tsunoda's Future Will be Decided After Summer Break
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Red Bull Racing senior advisor Helmut Marko has confirmed that Yuki Tsunoda's performance will be evaluated after the summer break, which will decide his future with the team. Tsunoda's current Red Bull contract expires after the current season. The Japanese driver was promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull after the Chinese Grand Prix, replacing Liam Lawson, who was demoted to take his seat in the junior F1 team. Despite the positive move for Tsunoda, he has struggled to adapt to the RB21 F1 car, much like Lawson and his predecessor, Sergio Perez. Red Bull's challenger is reportedly suited to Max Verstappen, and thus, his teammates have found it difficult to get used to an otherwise sensitive car. Despite securing just 7 points in the 12 rounds since his promotion, the positive point for Tsunoda is that he is getting closer to Verstappen's pace. The previous Hungarian Grand Prix weekend saw him get knocked out in Q1 in qualifying, but his pace was three-tenths off of Verstappen's, who qualified in P8. Tsunoda ended up starting from the pit lane due to an engine penalty, as Red Bull fitted a fifth power unit in his RB21 exceeding the prescribed limit of 4 power units. Marko explained that the decision to swap power units in Hungary was a strategic one. He said: Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Oracle Red Bull Racing on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on August 03, 2025 in Budapest, Hungary. Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Oracle Red Bull Racing on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on August 03, 2025 in Budapest, Hungary."Because he would have to change at maybe Monza or Zandvoort. And I think because of his starting position, it was strategically better to do it here." The 82-year-old advisor confirmed an improvement in Tsunoda's pace in qualifying as he closes the gap to his four-time world champion teammate. He added: "He was as near as never before, one-tenth he was behind. But unfortunately, he was dropped out in Q1. He's moving up." However, Tsunoda's future with Red Bull is still unclear for the 2026 season. Marko confirmed that the team is looking at all aspects for a future decision. He said: "Our driver evaluation traditionally takes place after the summer break. At the moment, everything is open. We're looking at performances – both positive and negative." Tsunoda opened up about the challenges he faces with the car, but remains confident about overcoming them. He said: "I didn't see yet so far the driver who probably got used to it in that car straight away. So that's probably the fact. But at the same time, I feel I'm in the right direction, at least on the short runs. "Also in terms of the whole package, I know there's something to come as well into this year compared to Max. So once I get the full package, I still have good confidence that I can be in a level that they want. That's what I'm working hard on. "In terms of the long run is exactly the place that I'm still probably struggling at, but I'll find a way. I saw a couple of driving styles that I can try that I never tried in my career in Formula 1. It's just the learning stuff."
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Roman Anthony Return? Red Sox Reveal First Lineup After $130M Extension
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. It was easily lost in the excitement of the Boston Red Sox rookie's extension, but Roman Anthony is dealing with a minor injury concern. Anthony was scratched from the Red Sox lineup moments before their season opener against the Kansas City Royals on Monday. It was classed as "mid-back tightness," and the 21-year-old was held out of action on Tuesday as well. Wednesday had been a joyous day already in Red Sox Nation, as Anthony agreed to an eight-year, $130 million extension, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. But a fast return to the lineup was the cherry on top. BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 11: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox walks to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Raysat Fenway Park on June 11, 2025... BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 11: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox walks to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Raysat Fenway Park on June 11, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. MoreIn advance of the 7:10 p.m. ET first pitch against ex-Red Sox starter Michael Wacha and the Royals, MassLive's Chris Cotillo published the Boston starting lineup to X. "Roman Anthony is leading off tonight with Dustin May making his Red Sox debut," Cotillo wrote. "Anthony LF, Bregman 3B, Story SS, Duran CF, Gonzalez 1B, Abreu RF, Yoshida DH, Rafaela 2B, Wong C" Anthony became Boston's regular leadoff hitter against right-handed pitchers on Jul. 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has an on-base percentage of exactly .400 in his 46 games since his June debut. Meanwhile, the Red Sox will look to sweep their second consecutive series at Fenway Park, where they've won 16 of their last 18 games. They're only three games out of first place in the American League East, after trailing by as many as 10 1/2 games earlier in the season. Life is pretty good for Red Sox fans right now, and Anthony showing no ill effects from the back issue would be the best possible follow-up to the news of the extension. More MLB: Cardinals Predicted To Cut Ties With First-Time All-Star As Rebuild Begins
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Max Verstappen's Claim of Not Winning Another Race in 2025 Comes Under Fire
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen has been called out for his statements that could potentially demotivate his team. The four-time world champion was disappointed after his P9 finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend, leading him to doubt if Red Bull would be able to win another race this season. Red Bull is enduring a tough year, given the problems with the RB21 F1 car that seems to be compromising Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda's pace. Tsunoda confirmed at the Hungaroring that, more than the car's balance, it was the low level of traction that held him back. The Japanese driver was knocked out of Q1 in qualifying, although he managed to get very close to Verstappen's qualifying pace. Tsunoda had to start from the pit lane after the FIA levied an engine penalty as Red Bull fitted a fifth power unit on his car, one more than the permitted limit of four. Verstappen made it into Q3 in qualifying by a tiny margin, securing a P8 start on the grid. However, he finished the race in P9, marking his worst finish this season after the P10 he secured in Spain. Considering the current state of affairs and the gap the McLaren drivers have created in the Drivers' Standings, Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko recently confirmed that Verstappen was out of the 2025 championship race. Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing answers questions in the TV media pen during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on August 2, 2025 in Budapest,... Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing answers questions in the TV media pen during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on August 2, 2025 in Budapest, Hungary. MoreVerstappen, however, believes that his team could not even win a race this season if the current situation were to persist. When asked in Hungary if it was possible to win his third race this season, he said: "No, not the way things are going right now. That's just the way it is. It's clear. "There's nothing I can do about it. I could get angry, but that won't make the car any faster." Verstappen is currently placed third in the Drivers' Standings with 187 points, just 15 more than George Russell's tally of 172, who is in P4. Verstappen's comments may have highlighted the present reality at Red Bull, but Sky Sports F1 reporter Bernie Collins is not too happy with his approach. She told Sky F1: "I don't think any driver says we're not going to win anything this year as a motivator to the team. That's pretty demotivating if I were an engineer. I think that would really hit you a little bit." However, she acknowledged that it was a powerful way of pushing the team to overcome the technical challenges plaguing the car, especially with the arrival of Red Bull's new team principal, Laurent Mekies. Collins added: "So, I think he's hoping that with Laurent Mekies, a very tactical guy, they can get on top of the issues that this Red Bull has had for several seasons now. Get the second driver working well, and next year, they've got this real line in the sand, a real chance to start again. "But, they need to get on top of these fundamental issues that they've been having for a little while now. Max, I think, is just using it as a powerful way of communicating with the team, 'I am really not happy, and something needs to change in this car to make me happy'. "That's what will hopefully drive the entire engineering force behind him to get a car that he can be more competitive with next year."
