Brundle Reveals Tensions Behind Horner's Departure: "Things Were Not Rosy"
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
In a complete bombshell, Red Bull Racing fired team principal Christian Horner on Wednesday after a disappointing first half of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The firing completely shook up the paddock. By all accounts, no one expected Red Bull to axe Horner, much less in the middle of the season.
The energy-drink racing team nevertheless made the bold decision and is moving on from the team's only leader since it was created.
The news left Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle in shock and awe:
Oracle Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner and Commentator Martin Brundle chat in the paddock prior to qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Circuit on March 23, 2024...
Oracle Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner and Commentator Martin Brundle chat in the paddock prior to qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Circuit on March 23, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia More
Photo by"I think it's completely out of the blue, given things that are going on and the sort of problems in the team, words you're getting out of Team Verstappen and others," Brundle said on a broadcast.
"I'm quite sad about it, if I'm honest. I consider Christian a friend and he's done an incredible job there for 20 years, won an awful lot of races and world championships for drivers and for the team, and he took it from what was the Stewart team through Jaguar and it was struggling to a massive campus in Milton Keynes and an awful lot of success and a huge trophy cabinet.
"But it's not been difficult to feel in the Formula One paddock and to observe and to hear that things were not particularly rosy."
With Horner out of the picture for Red Bull, questions still remain regarding the team's future direction. Max Verstappen could leave for Mercedes, or the team could convince him to stay.
The energy drink company chose Laurent Mekies as the new team principal, but his inexperience in the role makes him a dubious long-term solution for a high-profile team.
There are several factors that may have played a role in Horner's exit, but the team's declining results and inner-team turmoil likely played the biggest role in his departure.
Horner's reign over Red Bull is filled with controversies regarding his statements and actions.
Last year, he was accused of misconduct by another Red Bull employee, though he managed to keep his position, and things appeared to be heading back to normal.
As the season has gone on, Red Bull's cracks have started to show as a team. The RB-21 is filled with driveability issues, which are leading to Verstappen struggling to stay in the title race.
The team's higher-ups held a crisis meeting during the first half of the season to address the car and the team's issues, but since then, the inconsistencies have continued.
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
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
21 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 21
From Dalton Hilliard to Eric Allen and Keenan Lewis In only 21 days, new head coach Kellen Moore will lead the New Orleans Saints in their season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. One of the team's biggest offseason additions, safety Justin Reid, wears No. 21 for New Orleans. Reid hopes to follow in the footsteps of a few significant contributors that wore No. 21 for the Saints. Here are all the players who have worn the jersey. Saints' History of No. 21 John Douglas was the first player and first New Orleans draft pick to wear No. 21. A fifth round choice during the franchise's first draft in 1967, Douglas had 1 interception and a fumble recovery as the team's starting corner during their first two years of existence. Of the 27 players who have worn the No. 21 jersey with the Saints, 18 did so for one year or less. Carl Ward started a string of nine straight players to be in No. 21 for a season or less from 1969 to 1986, all defensive backs. Dalton Hilliard finally snapped that dubious streak and also became the first Saints offensive player to wear No. 21. A second round choice (31st overall) in the 1986 NFL draft from the LSU Tigers, Hilliard would technically be the second highest drafted player by New Orleans to wear the No. 21 jersey. However, Hilliard wore No. 40 as a rookie before switching to No. 21 for the last seven years of a productive career. Hilliard was one of the most prolific backs in New Orleans history and one of the NFL's most versatile threats during his time in the league. He had 4,164 yards rushing and 39 scores on the ground, including a career-best 1,262 in a Pro Bowl season of 1989. His 18 total touchdowns that year led the league and was also a single-season franchise record until Alvin Kamara equaled it in 2018, then broke it in 2020 with No. 21 scores. As a receiver, Hilliard was also a lethal threat with 249 career receptions for yards 2,233 yards and 14 touchdowns. Knee injuries that started in 1990 caused Hilliard to miss several games over his last four years and slowed his elusiveness and explosive abilities. He still remains fifth on the Saints all-time rushing list and fourth in rushing touchdowns. Hilliard retired as the franchise's all-time leader in catches and receiving yardage by a running back. His 53 total touchdowns were first on the team's all-time list when he left the game and remains sixth in team history. Hilliard was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 1998, becoming just the third running back at the time to get that honor. Once injuries hastened the end of Hilliard's career, the Saints tried to replace him with Derek Brown. A Round 4 selection in 1993, Brown wore three numbers over four seasons in New Orleans. He wore No. 21 during his second year in 1994, rushing for 489 yards and gaining another 428 as a receiver while scoring 4 touchdowns. Brown gave up No. 21 in 1995 with the arrival of future NFL Hall of Fame cornerback Eric Allen. Most of Allen's NFL success came with the Philadelphia Eagles to start his career, then the Oakland Raiders to cap it off. Between those stops was a three-year stint with New Orleans. As a Saint, Allen had one Pro Bowl berth with a total of 5 interceptions and 160 tackles. Jason Craft was another defensive back that had better success with another team prior to a stop in New Orleans. Craft was with the Saints for four seasons, where he had some success with 6 interceptions, 22 pass breakups, and 4 forced fumbles. Running back Mike Bell is an often forgotten part of the Saints Super Bowl XLIV championship unit. He was acquired from the Denver Broncos in 2008, switching from Nos. 40 to 21 in 2009. When injuries hit the New Orleans backfield that season, Bell stepped up to be a productive runner by finishing second on the team with 654 yards and 5 scores. Injuries again decimated New Orleans backs in 2010. This time, the Saints were forced to sign former Dallas Cowboys star Julius Jones. However, Jones failed to match Bell's success, rushing for only 193 yards in 10 games of action. A trio of cornerbacks followed in the No. 21 uniform after Jones' departure. The first of them was Patrick Robinson, the last choice in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. If Hilliard was technically the second highest draft choice by New Orleans to wear No. 21, then Robinson is technically the highest despite initially wearing 34 as a rookie before his number change. Robinson should also be considered a first round bust. He did have 7 interceptions over a two-year stretch between 2011 and 2012 and 11 total picks with a scoring return and 52 passes broken up in two different stints in New Orleans. However, he was also a magnet for big plays by the opposition, never living up to his draft status. Keenan Lewis started his New Orleans career in No. 28. After two years in that jersey, he switched to No. 21 for what turned out to be his last year with the Saints because of injuries. De'Vante Harris made the team as an undrafted rookie in 2016. Harris played two years in the No. 21 jersey before Robinson's return in 2018, often pressed into more reps than what he should have been because of lack of depth on the back end. Tony Jones Jr. had (very) limited success wearing three different numbers during a four-year stretch with the Saints as a backup running back. Bradley Roby was acquired in a trade early in the 2021 season. Roby played two years with New Orleans, intercepting one pass and breaking up 10 others and strengthening the depth of a strong Saints cornerback unit. Over the last two years, the No. 21 jersey has been worn by Jamaal Williams. A 1,000-yard back with the Lions, he never came close to that kind of production with New Orleans. In two disappointing years with the Saints, Williams averaged a lowly 3.1 per carry and managed only 470 rushing yards over 27 games. The No. 21 is turned back over to the defensive side, as Justin Reid is expected to be a vital part of the secondary in 2025.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Nelly Korda Sounds Alarm as Catfishing Scam Targets Fans, Female Golfers
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. Over the past five years, LPGA players have repeatedly raised their voices against a disturbing trend of catfishing scams that impersonate female golfers, lure fans into fake relationships and drain them of thousands of dollars. Despite public warnings, the scams persist. And now, they've pushed former world No. 1 Nelly Korda to speak out with urgency. TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 27: Nelly Korda of the United States looks across the 10th green during the final round of the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open 2025 at Dundonald Links Golf Course on July... TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 27: Nelly Korda of the United States looks across the 10th green during the final round of the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open 2025 at Dundonald Links Golf Course on July 27, 2025 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by) More The latest eye-opening moment came from The Athletic, which created a fictitious Instagram account under the name Rodney Raclette, a 62-year-old Indiana native and self-proclaimed LPGA superfan. Within 20 minutes of following a few verified accounts, Rodney received a message from what appeared to be Nelly Korda herself. "Hi, handsomeface, I know this is like a dream to you. Thank you for being a fan," read the DM from @nellykordaofficialfanspage2, per report. Of course, it wasn't Korda. And Rodney doesn't exist. But the scam was all too real. In the real world, a fake account impersonates a golfer, initiates contact, then quickly shifts the conversation to Telegram or WhatsApp. From there, the scammer offers exclusive perks, VIP access, autographed gear, and even romantic promises in exchange for untraceable payments via cryptocurrency or gift cards. Once the money stops, the scammer vanishes. This forced Korda to raise her voice. "It's been taken out of my hands being able to communicate freely with fans," Korda told The Athletic. "Because I don't really know their intentions." Korda has pinned a warning to the top of her Instagram profile, but the scams are evolving faster than she can report them. She says she used to flag 20 fake accounts per day. Now, they multiply by the hour. "You're just put into a situation you really don't want to be in," she said as quoted by The Athletic. "You feel bad, you feel guilty for people going through this. It's the last thing you want. It's not only putting the players in danger, in a sense, but it's putting all the fans in danger." This is not the end, though. In one case, a Pennsylvania man drove four hours to Liberty National Golf Club believing he had a VIP dinner planned with Rose Zhang. He had sent her $70,000 over a year. Zhang's agent had to break the news that it wasn't her and that he had been scammed. Even The Athletic's fictional fan made up for the story was asked for ID and offered a "Fan Membership Card" for $700. When he hesitated, the fake Korda threatened to end the conversation until she sent an AI-generated video of the real Korda, altered to address him by name. Security experts say the scams are difficult to trace and nearly impossible to prosecute. Most perpetrators operate overseas, and the FBI rarely intervenes unless the financial loss crosses a high threshold. All said, the problem persists. The day after Rodney's account was created, the scam page that messaged him was deleted. When Rodney emailed the fake Korda to ask why, she replied, "I deactivated the account because of imposters, and the FBI are working on catching them." That, too, was a lie. As the LPGA continues to grow in popularity, so does the threat. More Golf: Akshay Bhatia Lands New Car With Ace at BMW Championship Third Round
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
NASCAR Driver Set For Daytona Comeback After Giving Birth
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. NASCAR driver Natalie Decker is set to make her season debut at s after giving birth back in February. Decker will become one of the few female drivers who became mothers and then competed in NASCAR. Shawna Robinson, Sara Christian, and Tina Gordon are among the legendary drivers who gave birth and came back to race. She gave birth on February 5th, and six months later, Decker will get behind the wheel of a race car. Natalie Decker, driver of the #92 Bikini Zone Chevrolet, prepares to practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series BetMGM 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24, 2024 in Concord, North Carolina. Natalie Decker, driver of the #92 Bikini Zone Chevrolet, prepares to practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series BetMGM 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24, 2024 in Concord, North Carolina. Getty Images/Photo by Logan Riely "February 5th 2025 was the best day of my life and also the worst day of my life," Decker wrote on X after giving birth. "Giving birth was so beautiful but having your baby taken away from you minutes after to get rushed to the NICU was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. "It was the longest 3 days of my life watching my little boy fight to get stronger in the NICU. Our Family of 3 are healthy and have been home now for 3 days, God is so good!! We are blessed with the best gift and I couldn't be in a happier place." The 28-year-old woman will drive the No. 92 DGM Racing Chevrolet with sponsorship from Wawa. Decker races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where she has made 12 race starts. Despite driving machinery at a high speeds, she said giving birth to her son, Levi, was harder. "It was really difficult, and I didn't understand how strong I was until I was pregnant," Decker told WASW, a CBS news affiliate. "Giving birth was incredible, the best experience of my life, and it was the biggest adrenaline rush I've ever had. I go 200 miles per hour, but giving birth topped that." Decker was desperate to get back on track soon after giving birth. "I've always wanted to be a mother. I've always wanted to be a NASCAR driver and it's like full circle, everything coming together," Decker said on Fox News. "I cannot wait to get back to the track. I'm just looking forward to be back in the car doing what I love and being there with my family. "Because that's the whole reason why I fell in love with racing was I go to the racetrack with my family and the competitiveness and just the whole thing and seeing Levi get to be there is going to be the best part." The best result of her time with the NASCAR Xfinity Series was at Daytona, finishing 18th. Previously, she competed in the NASCAR Truck Series and finished fifth at Daytona during the 2020 season, securing the best result for a woman in the series. For more NASCAR news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
