Horner’s departure was confirmed on Wednesday night (AEST), bringing an end to a 20-year reign that began with Red Bull’s entry into Formula 1 in 2005 and delivered six constructors’ championships, eight drivers’ titles and 124 grand prix victories.
Verstappen, who has won four of Red Bull’s eight drivers’ championships and holds the record for most victories for the team, acknowledged Horner’s influence in a message posted to Instagram.
“From my first race win, to four world championships, we have shared incredible successes,” he said. “Winning memorable races and breaking countless records. Thank you for everything, Christian!”
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Verstappen joined the Red Bull junior program as a teenager in 2014 and landed a race seat with Toro Rosso in 2015 at only 17 years old, becoming the youngest driver in the history of the sport. After impressive performances in his debut season, he was promoted to the senior team under Horner’s leadership in 2016, winning on his Red Bull debut in Spain and becoming the youngest-ever race winner in F1 history.
Verstappen and Horner’s partnership went on to dominate the sport in the early 2020s, with Verstappen taking 61 victories with Red Bull so far, claiming four straight world titles between 2021 and 2024, and shattering numerous records — including most wins in a season and most consecutive wins. Horner was a constant presence through it all, both in Verstappen’s rise and Red Bull’s evolution into one of the most dominant teams on the grid.
But the sacking now raises serious questions about what comes next. Verstappen is under contract through to the end of 2028, but has made clear that team stability is a key factor in determining his long-term future. Behind-the-scenes tensions between Horner and members of Verstappen’s inner circle — including his father Jos and Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko — have simmered throughout 2024 and 2025.
Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen confirmed the team was made aware of Horner’s sacking ahead of time, but declined to elaborate further on the reasons behind it.
“We were informed in advance by Red Bull’s management that this decision had been made,” Vermeulen told De Telegraaf.
“It’s up to Red Bull to provide further explanation regarding the reasons.
“We continue to look at the sporting side and are looking for more performance so we can return to the top. In that respect, nothing will change.”
Red Bull released a short statement thanking Horner for his two decades of service and confirming that former Racing Bulls boss Laurent Mekies will take over as team principal. Alan Permane will replace Mekies at the sister team.
“After 20 years with the Team, Christian Horner departs Oracle Red Bull Racing as Team Principal and CEO,” the statement said.
“We thank him for his tireless and exceptional work. He has been instrumental in building this Team into one of the most successful in F1, with eight Drivers’ Championships and six Constructors’ Championships.
“Thank you for everything Christian, you will forever remain an important part of our team’s history.”
Other tributes for Horner have flowed in since the sacking, with former Red Bull head of aerodynamics Dan Fallows crediting his leadership style and long-standing impact on the team.
“Whatever your opinion of Christian, he leaves an awesome legacy at RBR,” Fallows said in a post on LinkedIn. “Having worked with him for over 15 years, I can say he was an unfailing advocate for the team.
“Christian’s approach to the technical side was always light touch, preferring to support and enable rather than interfere or question decisions. That was certainly formed by his close relationship with Adrian Newey but continued even when Adrian chose to divide his time with the Valkyrie.
“Designing a great car isn’t enough, the other parts of the machine all have to be working flawlessly and Christian excelled at ensuring that happened. It wasn’t universally popular when he highlighted the many people involved in the car’s success, but it was certainly appreciated by the rest of the team.”
Fallows added that he doesn’t believe Horner’s time in the sport is over.
“We didn’t always see things the same way but, looking back, there is no doubt that Christian handled the complexities of the top job at Red Bull Racing successfully. I would be extremely surprised if another team doesn’t see this as a big opportunity.”
Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle, a long-time friend of Horner’s, also spoke warmly about the outgoing team boss. Brundle told Sky Sports News that he was saddened by the decision and paid tribute to Horner’s accomplishments.
“I’m quite sad about it, if I’m honest. I consider Christian a friend. He’s done an incredible job there for 20 years,” he said.
“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.
“He took it from what was the Stewart team through Jaguar, and it was struggling, to a massive campus in Milton Keynes with a huge trophy cabinet.”
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