Emotions ran high at Milton Keynes after a tearful Christian Horner farewell speech to the staff, as he confirmed his Red Bull F1 exit “came as a shock”.
The Formula 1 world was left in a state of disbelief and reflection following the sudden and emotional departure of the 51-year old from his role as the team principal and CEO.
The shock of Horner’s dismissal was palpable as reports claim the Red Bull’s leadership informed him on Tuesday evening that he would no longer be involved operationally with the business or the team moving forward.
The news which came as a shock to Horner himself was delivered after a period of reflection and internal deliberation within the organization.
While the British motorsport executive will remain employed by the company in an as-yet-undefined capacity, his operational responsibilities were immediately handed over to former Racing Bulls team boss Laurent Mekies who now assumes the dual role of Red Bull Racing team principal and CEO.
Christian Horner’s farewell speech on Wednesday morning was marked by moments of visible emotion as he stood before the assembled staff, many of whom had worked alongside him for years, and expressed his gratitude for their dedication and hard work.
“Yesterday I was informed by Red Bull that, operationally, I will no longer be involved with the business or the team moving forward from after this gathering,” he said.
“I will still remain employed by the company, but operationally, the baton will be handed over. And that obviously came as a shock to myself, but what I’ve had time to do is to reflect over the last 12 hours or so.
“And I wanted to stand in front of all of you to break this news and just express my gratitude to each and every single member of the team that has given so much during the last 20 and a half years that I’ve been here.
“When I arrived 20 years ago, with a few less grey hairs, I walked into the team, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was immediately welcomed. And out of two rundown buildings, we started to build what became a powerhouse in Formula 1.
“Watching and being part of this team has been the biggest privilege in my life,” Horner added with emotions audibly taking over before being applauded by the factory staff.
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“A new CEO will be announced shortly. I trust him and give him my full support. My instruction to him is to look after all of you.
“I have fought hard, I’ve done my best, I’ve put in a big shift and it now comes to a close.”
Red Bull Racing has achieved unprecedented success under Horner’s stewardship. The team has secured six Constructors’ Championships and eight Drivers’ Championships, split evenly between Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.
The team’s 124 Grand Prix victories during Horner’s tenure are a reflection of a sustained period of dominance rarely seen in the sport’s history.
However, the reasons behind Horner’s Red Bull F1 exit remain the subject of speculation. While the team has not provided a detailed explanation, several factors are believed to have contributed to the decision.
In the past 18 months, Red Bull experienced a decline in competitiveness, falling behind rivals such as McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes in the Formula 1 Championship standings.
The departure of key personnel, including technical visionary Adrian Newey, further destabilized the team’s internal dynamics. Additionally, the unresolved future of star driver Max Verstappen added to the sense of uncertainty.
Horner’s tenure was also marred by controversy in the preceding year. Allegations of inappropriate behavior, which Horner vehemently denied, led to an internal investigation.
Although he was cleared of any wrongdoing after a thorough review, the episode cast a shadow over the team and intensified scrutiny from both the media and the paddock.
