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New York Times
2 days ago
- Automotive
- New York Times
Red Bull after Christian Horner: Why F1 concern runs beyond Verstappen's future
For the first time in Red Bull Racing's Formula One history, it has a new team principal. Christian Horner stood at the team's helm for the past 20 years, since Red Bull took over the Jaguar squad ahead of the 2005 season, and weathered the swings between championship-winning and dominance highs from Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, to the lows of an underperforming car and off-track issues. Lately, these covered sexual misconduct investigations and apparent power struggles. Advertisement But parent company Red Bull GmbH has reached the point where it is ready for a change, releasing the 51-year-old from his duties as CEO and team principal of Red Bull Racing last Wednesday. It was a shocking move that rocked the F1 world just days after the 2025 British Grand Prix — the halfway mark of the 24-race season. Red Bull currently sits fourth in the constructors' standings with 172 points, far ahead of fifth-place Williams but 38 points off third-place Mercedes. The vast majority of Red Bull's points total comes from Verstappen (165 to be exact), and given McLaren's dominance and Red Bull's car issues to this point, it's looking unlikely the Dutchman will contend for another title this term, let alone the Milton Keynes-based team. Horner's sacking raised many questions, and as Laurent Mekies makes the switch from leading sister team Racing Bulls to now being the CEO and team principal of Red Bull Racing, one of the biggest questions at the top of everyone's mind centers on what comes next, particularly as Verstappen's racing future remains a major unknown. 'You've got a problem, change your f***ing car.' That comment from Horner to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff at the 2022 Canadian GP was captured on 'Drive to Survive' for the fifth series of the Netflix docuseries hit. It went viral at the time and has popped up on social media once again in the wake of Horner's sacking. And the message isn't wrong, as it's exactly what Red Bull needs to do this year. The regulations changed ahead of the 2022 season. The aim was to improve racing by reducing dirty air with ground-effect cars and Red Bull nailed it. That year, it won its first constructors' championship since 2013, with Verstappen taking his second consecutive drivers' championship. And the gap wasn't close for either title. Advertisement Red Bull then ran it back for a dominant, record-breaking 2023 season that saw Verstappen win 19 out of 22 grands prix. The team seemed (mostly) unbeatable, practically untouchable. And most people anticipated that Red Bull would dominate once again in 2024. It started fast but was clearly overhauled by McLaren. Simultaneously, notable names that were big parts of making Red Bull a championship-caliber team began leaving. Rob Marshall, the chief engineering officer, left at the end of the 2023 season for McLaren, after being at Red Bull for 17 years. He was the chief designer from 2006 to 2016, which included Vettel's run of four drivers' championships and Red Bull's first four constructors' titles. In May 2024, news broke that legendary designer Adrian Newey would leave the team after 19 years as its technical officer. He later signed for Aston Martin. On August 1, 2024, Red Bull announced that Jonathan Wheatley, its sporting director, would leave to become Sauber's team principal ahead of its transformation to become Audi in 2026. He had been at Red Bull since 2006. And in September 2024, McLaren announced that it had signed Will Courtenay, Red Bull's head of strategy, as its sporting director, though he'll have to wait to join the reigning constructors' champion until midway through next year. Horner is now the latest figure to depart, all while Red Bull's performance continues to dwindle. While this move could help calm political waters, issues remain with the car. This includes an ongoing struggle to find the right handling balance for the drivers — a problem that's carried over from last season. But the team is up against a ticking clock until it needs to fully switch its focus to producing its 2026 car, given the regulations are changing again. At some point this season, teams will be stuck with their current designs. Advertisement As of last week, The Athletic understands that Red Bull still has planned upgrades to come, as Verstappen is still mathematically in the championship fight with half of the season to go. There are 12 grands prix and four sprint races remaining, and the Dutchman is 69 points off the championship leader, Oscar Piastri. But it's still a steep comeback to make, particularly given McLaren's current performance. To put this into context: In 2022, Verstappen bounced back from being 46 points down to Leclerc, with 19 grands prix and three sprint races to go. But given Ferrari's issues and Leclerc's mistakes that season, Leclerc realized the title likely was gone by the Belgian GP, with eight races to go. The 2022 Red Bull was also a far superior car package once the team had reduced its weight after the initial races that year. Red Bull is simultaneously focused on designing its challenger for next season, with Horner saying after the British GP that '90 percent of the focus is now on' that project. The cars next season will become slightly lighter and nimbler compared to the current designs, while their engines will utilize more electrical power. The fuels are changing, too, to 100 percent sustainable fuels. It's a clean sheet for the teams and it's unknown what the pecking order will be next season. Plus, there are power unit changes across the grid, such as how Alpine will switch from using Renault engines to Mercedes units, while Red Bull will have its own engine, developed in partnership with Ford. Coming in as a new power unit manufacturer brings another level of pressure, something Red Bull is already under as Verstappen's racing future remains uncertain. To keep a driver that's highly regarded, a team need a competitive car. Vettel left Red Bull for Ferrari after the significant regulation change in 2014, where Red Bull struggled. That year, the Renault engine it was using was underperforming compared to the power produced by the dominant Mercedes engine. 'I remember Dietrich Mateschitz telling me at the time that we don't need the best driver if we don't have the best car. At that stage, it was about building a team,' Horner said in a news conference during the British GP weekend. 'Things go in cycles and sport goes in cycles. We've had two incredibly successful cycles in Formula One. And what we want to do is build towards the next cycle. Now, of course, we want that to be with Max, but we understand the pressure that there is next year, with us coming in as a new power unit manufacturer. 'That challenge is enormous.' There's been clear tension between Verstappen's camp, primarily his father Jos, and Horner over the past 18 months, and it's not a given that Red Bull sacking Horner will guarantee the Dutchman will stay, even for 2026. What could keep him is the team delivering a fast and competitive car. Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until 2028, though he has batted away questions about whether he will stay for the duration and hasn't directly stated he'll race for Red Bull next season. The farthest he's gone is when asked whether it would be risky to switch teams ahead of a new regulation set. Verstappen responded, 'That's why I'm contracted to Red Bull.' Advertisement It would be a significant gamble if Verstappen left for another team next season. Aside from the uncertainty of the 2026 pecking order and how each team and driver will adapt to the new regulations, it would mean leaving an organization where he is very well set. Verstappen has been part of the Red Bull family since he joined its junior driver program in 2014 and made his F1 debut with what was then called Toro Rosso a year later. He'd have to adapt to how another team operates and determine where or how he fits, like Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari and Carlos Sainz at Williams this year. This can be a lengthy process, even for highly rated drivers. The unknowns for next season are high. Horner said during the British GP weekend, 'To expect us to be ahead of Mercedes next year is… It would be embarrassing for Mercedes if we were. Or for any manufacturer. But I think we're going to be in a competitive position, potentially even (compared) to where we are today relative to other PU manufacturers. There's everything to play for.' Red Bull also needs to design a car that two drivers can use to compete. Verstappen has managed to drive around the team's issues for some time, but has struggled. The troubles really started becoming evident midway through last year and it is most obvious with Red Bull's second seat. Sergio Pérez's performance spiraled last year, leading to his exit at 2024's end. His replacement, Liam Lawson, was himself replaced by Yuki Tsunoda after just two races. The Japanese driver has since struggled as well, only scoring seven points in 10 races. Red Bull's second seat went from contributing a third of the team's points in 2023 to barely a twentieth in 2025 so far. But the imbalance had been there for years beforehand. Not having both drivers fighting hurts a team's championship chances, especially when it's up against a rival that's nailed the car and driver lineup, such as McLaren right now. As much as the focus is on Verstappen and the present, Red Bull's future needs to be considered, particularly as it goes through another rebuilding period. When Andrea Stella was promoted to McLaren team principal, it took 18 months for things to click. And Fred Vasseur is still working on it at Ferrari. Verstappen won't stay forever. While he has been a key part of Red Bull for nearly a decade now, one day he will leave, whether in retirement or to join another team. Red Bull has historically had a deep junior pool and Lawson or his Racing Bulls teammate Isack Hadjar could be possible options if a seat at the senior team opens up again. And then there's the case of Formula Two racer Arvid Lindblad, who received his super license in June of this year. Advertisement As Horner said, 'Hopefully that won't be for several years to come, but you never know. So, you're always investing in young talent, you're always giving opportunities like we did (during Silverstone FP1) with Lindblad, to see the next generation coming through. 'Because one thing is for sure in this business, nothing stands still.' (Top image:)
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Sacked Christian Horner 'in line for £66MILLION Red Bull pay-off' after bosses axed his £12m-a-year contract almost six years early to get him out
Christian Horner is reportedly in line for a bumper pay-out after being sacked as team principal by Red Bull this week. The 51-year-old was relieved of his duties after 20 years in charge of the constructor, which under his aegis won eight drivers' championships and six constructors' championships. Horner's sacking came a year and a half after the former team principal was caught up in a media controversy that threatened to engulf the entire team. The 51-year-old was accused of sexual harassment and coercive and controlling behaviour by a female employee following the revelation of alleged sex texts sent by the Red Bull boss, who is married to former Spice Girl Geri Haliwell. He was twice cleared, initially after an internal investigation conducted by a lawyer, and then by another lawyer who dismissed the female employee's appeal. Horner has strongly denied the claims. But while Red Bull backed their man throughout the unfolding saga in 2024, relations have undoubtedly cooled in the following months - with the constructor's parent company Red Bull GmbH believed to be willing to pay a staggering pay-out to close the door on Horner's tenure. Christian Horner could be in line for a bumper pay out after being sacked by Red Bull this week The former Red Bull team principal - with his Spice Girl wife Geri Halliwell - was the highest-paid boss on the Formula One grid Horner oversaw a period of smash success, with Max Verstappen winning the last four drivers' championships As per Telegraph Sport, Horner's lawyers are currently in the midst of agreeing a suitable settlement for the Briton, after Red Bull called time on his lengthy contract. Horner was contracted at the constructor for a further five-and-a-half years, with his multi-million-pound deal due to finish in 2030. As per the latest accounts available for Red Bull Technology Ltd, after receiving an 11 per cent pay rise in 2023 when he signed new terms, his annual salary rose from £8.04million to £8.92m. However, it is thought that this may have risen even more after the constructor won yet another drivers' championship at the end of last season, with some estimating the number to be close to the £12m-mark. With lawyers likely to push for the remainder of his contract to be paid out in full, Horner could be in line for a staggering £66m-plus deal to finally cut ties with his former role. During his farewell speech at the constructor's Milton Keynes base, Horner noted that he would continue some involvement with the team that he built from the very beginning. But, Horner added, 'operationally the baton will be handed over'. Horner's dismissal is believed to have stemmed from the end of the dominance of Thai faction in Red Bull's parent company ownership. Documents filed to the Regional Court of Salzburg in Austria this May revealed that Chalerm Yoovidhya - the son of Red Bull co-founder Chaleo Yoovidhya - had his unique two percent stake deleted. Horner was despatched effective immediately on Wednesday halfway through the season Previously Horner had the valuable support of Thai co-owner Chalerm Yoovidhya (left) Chaleo and Austrian co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz each held a 49 per cent stake in the company, with Yoovidhya's two per cent allowing for additional decision-making within the set-up. Yoovidhya is believed to have been a key ally of Horner, and publicly threw his support behind his team principal amid the unfolding controversy last year. Mark Mateschitz, who holds his father's shares in the wake of his death in 2022, was thought to have withdrawn his support for the embattled team principal. But with the deletion of his stake, the two per cent has transferred to Swiss investment company Fides Trustees, 'an independent boutique Trust company that strives to deliver excellent service combined with a prudent yet entrepreneurial approach to Trust and Corporate services', as per its website. With the Thai and Austrian ownership groups now equally weighted as stakeholders, this may have cleared a pathway for Horner's dismissal. Wholesale changes are thought to be afoot at the constructor, with news breaking on Thursday that alongside Horner, a number of his key allies within the team have been moved on. Employees close to Horner and in some cases hired by the 51-year-old are set to go as incoming team principal Laurent Mekies seeks to stamp his own vision on the constructor.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Guardian
No guarantees for Red Bull that Horner's sacking will keep Verstappen
Even as the reverberations from the shock sacking of Christian Horner as team principal of Red Bull are still being felt across Formula One and their thunderous echo remains, whether all this sound and fury will have been quite enough to keep Max Verstappen at the team remains a moot point. When it was announced on Wednesday that Horner had been released from his post as team principal and chief executive of Red Bull after 20 years in charge and enormous success, pivotal to the decision was seemingly the desire to prevent the four-time world champion from being tempted away. Horner's removal a price the parent company was willing to pay. That Red Bull GmbH finally moved decisively against Horner after almost two years of internecine strife appears to have met the goal of the Verstappen camp, led by the driver's father Jos, who made little secret of his desire to be rid of this turbulent team principal. This did not appear a likely outcome when the furore over allegations against Horner of inappropriate behaviour toward a female employee died down after he was exonerated by an independent investigation. Yet while that had perhaps been the spark, what really stoked the fire and probably provoked decisive action at Red Bull GmbH was the downturn in results and the problems that led to that point. If the power struggle is over, the fundamental issues remain. This position was pointedly noted by Verstappen's manager Raymond Vermeulen after Horner's removal. 'We are looking for more performance so that we can return to the top,' he said. 'In that respect nothing will change.' The position is stark: Red Bull won 21 of 22 races in 2023, as dominant as any season in F1 history, but last year Verstappen managed to just claw out the title and now trails the championship leader Oscar Piastri by 69 points. Red Bull are fourth in the constructors' championship and then only because of Verstappen. He has scored 165 points this year, the team's second drivers' just seven. Central to this downturn has been the performance of their car, about which Verstappen has been blunt in his condemnation. Yet for all their efforts, it shows no sign of improving. Since Red Bull lost their designer Adrian Newey to Aston Martin in 2024, the balance problems that plagued it in the second half of that season have continued into 2025 and been further exposed as other teams have improved. This cannot be absolutely attributed to Newey's absence but it must be a factor, and that the current Red Bull design team, under technical director Pierre Waché, has been unable to solve the problems will concern Verstappen. The car Newey designed for the 2022 regulations was built to suit Verstappen and for two years they were completely dominant. However, when the other teams began catching up and Red Bull had to develop, the negative traits of the car and its increasingly narrow performance window only became more and more severe. The pursuit of extreme performance at the expense of drivability was based on Verstappen's capability to manage it but it has reached the point where even the Dutchman is barely managing and his teammates are adrift. All of this may well cast doubt in his mind as to how they will fare for the major regulation change of 2026, towards which he is now looking and which is the motivation behind him opening talks with Mercedes. Moreover there has been the loss of other key staff alongside Newey in the past two years. Horner was always bullish that the team had strength in depth but equally they were pillars of the stability Verstappen craves. Especially noticeable was the departure of personnel in key roles, such as Rob Marshall, the chief engineering officer, Jonathan Wheatley, the sporting director and Will Courtenay, the head of strategy. Then there is the elephant in the room, anxiously hopped-up on energy drink, in the form of Red Bull building their own engines for the first time next season. Mercedes is believed to already be leading the field and have form in this regard as their mastery of the 2024 regulations – a similarly engine-focussed formula – proved. Emerging in 2026 with a dominance similar to the one they enjoyed that year would make their car the most desirable seat on the Bull's project is an enormous and daunting step into the unknown and one where notably even manufacturers with a proven track record in building engines have struggled, as Honda's most recent travails with McLaren attest. Verstappen will probably have a good idea where the Red Bull engine programme is and Mercedes may well have given him an indication of where they are, if they are to tempt him on board. Performance-led factors are likely to carry more weight with Verstappen than personality or politics and they remain as pertinent now as they were on the day before Horner was dismissed. For the moment, then, it would seem the Verstappens have their way, certainly Jos, in Horner's removal. For his son, however, who wants calm and focus, throwing in a new team principal halfway through developing a car for new regulations does not appear to be a recipe for a serene succession into a successful future. Certainly in comparison to the stability at Mercedes. Indeed the 48-year-old Frenchman Laurent Mekies faces a similarly intimidating task to the one Horner addressed when he began building Red Bull from the ashes of Jaguar in 2005. Whether Verstappen is there to see it through with him remains to be seen, Horner or no Horner.
North Wales Chronicle
6 days ago
- Automotive
- North Wales Chronicle
Christian Horner's tension with Jos Verstappen part of exit
Horner's tenure as boss of Red Bull was dramatically brought to an end on Wednesday, ending a 20-year chapter in charge of a team he led to 14 world championships. Red Bull's parent company, Red Bull GmbH, who announced they had released Horner with immediate effect, did not state a reason for his exit. Horner's departure comes 17 months after he was accused by a female staff member of 'inappropriate behaviour'. Horner, 51, always denied the claims and was twice exonerated. However, Verstappen Snr claimed back in March of last year that Red Bull would 'explode' if Horner was not moved on, and it has been speculated this his departure is a power play by the Verstappen camp. And former Haas team principal Steiner said: 'There was open criticism, it was not hearsay. Jos openly critiqued the management of Red Bull, mainly Christian, so we were all fully aware that relationship wasn't good. 'Max is the best driver at the moment and has got a big say in the team, so if he didn't get on, or his father didn't get on with Christian, for sure, that played a role in it.' Christian, your 20-year leadership has shaped the very identity of Red Bull Racing, from ambitious newcomers to multiple World Champions. Thank you for the memories and the milestones that will leave a lasting legacy here in Milton Keynes for generations to come 💙 — Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) July 9, 2025 Verstappen has a contract until 2028 but Mercedes are interested in signing him and the Dutchman has been hesitant to say that he will see out his Red Bull deal. Verstappen is third in the world championship, 69 points behind Oscar Piastri, and he has a performance-related release clause in his current contract. Red Bull are fourth in the constructors' standings. Steiner, who was speaking to talkSPORT, continued: 'It's difficult, because to have somebody like Max, you want to keep him, and you don't give this power in a day. 'A driver like this grabs his power, because he knows his value for the team and you can see at Red Bull, the second driver has scored very few points, they cannot do it. 'Max put himself in this position to have a lot of say in the team because he is the biggest asset they have got at the moment.' Horner's future in F1 is unclear. It is understood that he is effectively on gardening leave at Red Bull for the remainder of the year. Ferrari have expressed an interest in Horner in the past. But Steiner added: 'He was there 20 years. I know how stressful it is to run a team and the last few years have been tough. 'He still gets paid, so he's enjoying his gardening leave. He will not be desperate for a next job.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Jeremy Clarkson speaks of 'extreme surprise' at friend's news
Jeremy Clarkson has said he is 'extremely surprised' at Christian Horner's Red Bull sacking. The former Top Gear and Grand Tour host previously said he had friends with the Red Bull Racing team at F1, including the now former chief executive and team principal. The 65-year-old Clarkson's Farm star, who runs his 1,000 acre farm in Chadlington, responded to a fan on Twitter who asked for his opinion. In response, Mr Clarkson said: 'It is extremely surprising.' He had attended the most recent Grand Prix held at Silverstone over the weekend and was also photographed talking to Mr Horner. Christian Horner was reduced to tears when he announced to his Red Bull staff that his two-decade spell as team principal had been terminated. The 51-year-old was effectively sacked from his role by the British-based Formula One team's parent company, Red Bull GmbH, on Tuesday. Horner travelled to the team's Milton Keynes factory on Wednesday to deliver the bombshell news to a stunned 1,500-strong workforce at 10am. Red Bull Group CEO Oliver Mintzlaff said: 'We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years. 'With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula One. 'Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history.' Horner later added on Instagram: 'After an incredible journey of 20 years together, it is with a heavy heart that today I say goodbye to the team I have absolutely loved. 'It's been an honour to be part of this incredible era of motorsport. I leave with immense pride in what we've achieved and also with what's in the pipeline for 2026 — and huge respect for everyone who's made F1 the pinnacle it is today.'
