Why was Christian Horner sacked? A detailed analysis of Red Bull firing their legendary team boss

In a seismic shift for Formula 1, Red Bull Racing has dismissed their long-serving team principal, Christian Horner, with immediate effect, appointing Laurent Mekies as CEO of operations. Horner's legacy is undeniable: 124 race wins, six Constructors' Championships, and eight Drivers' Championships (Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen winning four each) cemented his status among F1's most successful leaders.

However, this termination follows a prolonged period of decline. Red Bull's performance has faltered significantly over the past 24 months, culminating in a dismal third-place Constructors' finish last year behind McLaren and Ferrari. The 2025 campaign has worsened their plight, with reigning champion Verstappen facing potential dethronement for the first time since 2021.

Compounding issues, the team's second seat became a persistent weakness, and Max Verstappen's mere four wins from the last 24 races starkly highlighted the erosion of their dominance. Beneath this surface turmoil, deeper fissures ultimately led to Horner's dramatic exit.

Unresolved allegations & reputational damage

The initial cracks appeared in February 2023 when a female employee accused Christian Horner of sexual harassment and coercive, controlling behaviour. Although two internal Red Bull investigations cleared him, the allegations cast a long shadow, creating persistent reputational risk and internal unease. The ultimate resolution remained unclear, and the episode fueled ongoing tension, adding significant momentum to the forces demanding change within the organization.

Catastrophic performance decline

Red Bull's on-track collapse is staggering. Despite Verstappen widely being regarded as the world's best driver, he sits third in the 2025 Drivers' Championship, a massive 69 points behind leader Oscar Piastri at the season's midpoint. He has won only two races in 2025, continuing a trend of just four victories in the previous 24 races.

The team languishes fourth (effectively last among the top four) in the Constructors' standings, with no clear path to improvement. This dramatic fall from their dominant 2023 season, where Max Verstappen won a record 19 races, is central to the leadership crisis.

The Max Verstappen conundrum & power struggles

Verstappen's future became a critical vulnerability. Despite Christian Horner constantly emphasizing Verstappen's contract until 2028, Mercedes actively courted the Dutch driver. Losing Verstappen amidst their performance slump would be catastrophic, especially as their second driver (first Perez, then Lawson, now Tsunoda) contributed a paltry 10 points versus Max Verstappen's 165 this season.

Horner's position weakened further after the October 2022 death of Red Bull co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz. Horner reportedly sought greater control, leading to a bitter power struggle with long-time motorsport advisor Helmut Marko. This conflict only subsided in March 2024 when Verstappen publicly backed Marko, threatening his own departure if Marko left. Jos Verstappen also publicly stated the team would "fall apart" if Horner stayed.

Loss of key technical leadership

Christian Horner faced internal friction within the design department between legendary CTO Adrian Newey and technical director Pierre Wache. Through 2023, Horner downplayed Newey's role, emphasizing the contributions of Wache and others like Enrico Balbo. Newey, reportedly unimpressed by the handling of the allegations against Horner and feeling others took credit for his work, resigned in April 2024. He was immediately sidelined and joined Aston Martin in March 2025.

While impossible to quantify precisely, losing Newey's unparalleled expertise undoubtedly impacted car development. The performance drop correlates starkly with his departure: Max Verstappen won 7 of the first 9 races in 2024 before Newey's exit was finalized, but only 3 of the subsequent 27 races. Key personnel exodus continued with sporting director Jonathan Wheatley (now Sauber/Audi principal) and head of strategy Will Courtenay (joining McLaren).

Disastrous driver management

Horner's handling of the second seat proved calamitous. Despite Sergio Perez's alarming slump after early 2023 (only 2 wins and a dramatic performance drop), Horner inexplicably awarded him a new two-year contract around Monaco in 2024. By December 2024, Perez's results were so poor Red Bull had to pay an estimated €18 million (£15.5m) to terminate him early.

To replace Perez, Christian Horner chose the inexperienced Liam Lawson (only 11 prior races) over the more proven Yuki Tsunoda. Lawson flopped spectacularly and was replaced by Tsunoda after just two races. However, Tsunoda was never likely to match Verstappen, and Horner's refusal to consider top-tier drivers like Russell or Leclerc for years left Red Bull critically weak in the Constructors' battle.

Questionable strategic moves & external relations

Horner aligned himself with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem's push to reintroduce V10 engines, a move unpopular with rivals and crucially, with Red Bull's new engine partner Ford, who joined specifically for the 2026 hybrid regulations.

This stance seemed strategically unsound, antagonizing a key partner and lacking support to succeed. Horner's closeness to Ben Sulayem, including reportedly pushing for investigations into McLaren's dominance, further alienated figures within the sport.

The Final Straw: An impossible position

By mid-2025, Christian Horner's position was untenable. Results were in freefall, vital technical leaders had departed, costly driver errors mounted, reputational issues lingered, and the star driver's future was uncertain amid a toxic environment. Reports swirled that the Max Verstappen camp delivered an ultimatum: Horner leaves or Max departs.

While unconfirmed, Verstappen's repeated desire for a "calm, relaxed environment" contrasted sharply with Red Bull's prolonged chaos. Facing pressure from CEO Oliver Mintzlaff (who announced the dismissal) and likely without the unwavering support of Thai shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya that saved him previously, Red Bull simply ran out of reasons to retain their once-legendary boss. The cumulative weight of failure on and off the track proved too heavy.