Red Bull, one of the most successful teams from motor racing's top-tier Formula 1 (F1) over the last 20 years, has sacked Christian Horner, its long-standing team principal and chief executive.
Horner, 51, has been in charge of the UK-based team since it launched in 2005, with Red Bull having won eight drivers' championships and six constructors' titles in that period. As such, he is the longest-serving of the 10 F1 team principals.
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However, 17 months ago, he was formally accused of sexual harassment and coercive and controlling behavior by a junior female Red Bull Racing employee. He was cleared of these claims twice, both times by independent lawyers.
This move by the Red Bull GmbH parent company – confirmed in a statement today – also comes with the on-track performance of the team having deteriorated markedly over the last 12 months. The team's star driver, Max Verstappen, currently sits third in the 2025 drivers' championship, having won the last four, while Red Bull as a team sits fourth in this year's constructors' championship.
Horner will be replaced by Laurent Mekies, who for the last 18 months has been heading up Red Bull's second F1 team, currently titled Racing Bulls. Before moving into that role at the start of the 2024 campaign, Mekies (48) was racing director at the iconic Ferrari outfit.
Alan Permane, currently the racing director of Racing Bulls, has now been promoted to team principal of Red Bull's sister outfit, which the energy drinks giant has run since 2008.
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By GlobalDataIn a statement, Oliver Mintzlaff, chief executive of corporate projects and investments, has 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 1.
"Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history."
At times in the early 2010s, Horner was touted as a likely successor to Bernie Ecclestone, the series' colorful supremo who eventually sold his stake in the property to the Liberty Media group in 2017.
Red Bull, through Verstappen, has won only two of the 12 F1 races so far in 2025, replaced by rivals McLaren as the quickest team on the track.
In addition, they have already lost various senior figures over the last year and a half – car design guru Adrian Newey has switched teams to join Aston Martin, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley has now become team principal at Sauber, and head of strategy Will Courteney is set to join McLaren as sporting director once his contract expires.
There is now intense speculation over what this departure means for Verstappen, who has won the last four drivers' titles consecutively.
At last weekend's British Grand Prix, Horner's last race before the axe fell, Verstappen finished fifth. The team's other driver, Yuki Tsunoda, finished 15th – the last-placed driver out of those who finished the event.
