Horner leaves Red Bull after 20 years of working as a team principal. Image: Getty image via BBC Sports.
(The Post News)– After nearly 20 years as a team principal, Christian Horner has stepped away from Red Bull, bringing an end to one of the most successful eras in modern Formula 1. The 51-year-old has been team principal since Red Bull joined the grid in 2005, guiding them to eight drivers’ crowns and six constructors’ championships.
His departure, confirmed on 9 July when the team announced he had been “released from his operational duties,” follows a rough 18 months that saw his reputation tested. Allegations of sexual harassment, made public in early 2024 by a female employee, set off months of inspection. Horner was twice cleared, first in an internal investigation and again after an appeal, but the cloud never quite lifted.
Horner Allegedly Walks Away with €60m
BBC Sport has reported that Horner walked away with a settlement of around €60m (£52m), one of the largest payoffs in sporting history. He had been on a €12m (£10m) annual salary, with a contract running until 2030.
Horner’s departure comes at the end of a turbulent chapter for Red Bull. In April 2024, legendary designer Adrian Newey, celebrated as perhaps the greatest technical mind in Formula 1, walked away, frustrated by the controversy surrounding the team and a growing sense that his influence had been reduced. Soon after, long-time sporting director Jonathan Wheatley left to lead Sauber in its transition to Audi, while head of strategy Will Courtenay also departed, preparing to take up a senior role at McLaren.
Multiple exist at Red Bull.
As these exits piled up, Red Bull’s performance on track began to lose momentum, further straining Horner’s relationships with the company’s leadership. Once unpleasant to Chalerm Yoovidhya, the family patriarch, Horner eventually lost that backing. The final decision came from Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull’s CEO for corporate projects and investments, who opted to dismiss him after the team’s underwhelming result at the British Grand Prix.
In a farewell statement, Mintzlaff paid tribute to Horner’s influence: “His tireless commitment, expertise, and vision made Red Bull Racing one of the most successful and admired teams in Formula 1.”
For Horner, the end was bittersweet. “Leading Red Bull has been an honor and a privilege,” he said. “What I’m proudest of is building such a special team of talented and driven people and watching them take on and beat some of the biggest car manufacturers in the world, all while representing an energy drinks company that dared to dream.”
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