Two top Red Bull managers leave the company after Christian Horner
The shock waves continue at Red Bull. Two members of senior management have left Red Bull at the same time as Christian Horner, according to sources.
Christian Horner has been dismissed by Red Bull with immediate effect, ending 20 years as team principal, during which he led the team to eight drivers’ world titles and six constructors’ titles.
The 51-year-old Briton has been replaced by Laurent Mekies, promoted from the Racing Bulls team, while Alan Permane will take over the reins of Red Bull’s sister team.
According to Sky Sports, two other senior executives closely linked to Christian Horner, who was informed of his dismissal on Tuesday, have also left Red Bull.
« We are starting to piece together the timeline of this decision », said Craig Slater on Sky Sports News.
It’s a shock in Milton Keynes. We understand that this decision was finalized yesterday. It was communicated to Horner yesterday, as well as to the main sponsor partners. Horner then came to headquarters on Wednesday morning and addressed the staff at 10 a.m. UK time. He left the campus at 11:25 a.m. The staff was instructed to make no comments. Communication is now managed by the Salzburg office.
« I understand that two other management members, close to Horner, have also left their positions at Red Bull. Among the ‘field’ employees we spoke to off-camera, emotions are running high », he says.
A moving farewell speech
Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft revealed that Christian Horner broke down during a very emotional farewell speech addressed to Red Bull staff.
“It’s an emotion of sadness,” said David Croft. “Look at the Red Bull campus: 20 years ago, it wasn’t even a third of its current size. Under Horner’s leadership, the company has expanded, a wind tunnel was built, and the workforce now exceeds 1,000 people.”
A page turns for the Austrian team. « The collected testimonies report a shared feeling of disappointment and sadness towards a man who knew how to unite his team. He was never afraid to sit down and talk, no matter the role of his interlocutor within the organization. », declares the journalist.
His speech at the factory, as far as we know, was profoundly moving. Christian was in tears. In the end, he received a massive ovation from a loyal staff, to whom he brought success, bonuses, and glory.
« When he left the campus, he was impassive, eyes straight ahead. No wave, no thumbs up. He left for what seems to be the last time. »
An unexpected departure
According to David Croft, three main reasons supposedly led to the dismissal of Christian Horner:
– the extra-sport scandal of 2024
– his strained relationship with Max Verstappen
– and the decline in Red Bull’s performance
« It’s a combination of factors », he explained. « Accusations of inappropriate behavior continue to linger, even though Christian has been cleared twice. Relations with the Verstappen camp seemed strained. Rumors even suggest a possible departure of Max to Mercedes. Yet, he is the one who brings in the majority of the points. »
« F1 is a sport based on results. However, they are no longer there. In the last four races, Red Bull has been outperformed by Sauber, led by Jonathan Wheatley, former sporting director at Red Bull », he explains.
« There comes a time when shareholders, in Austria as in Thailand, believe that it’s necessary to turn the page and start anew on a sound footing », he concludes.
