Red Bull has fired Christian Horner after 20 years as team principal, the team said on Wednesday.
Horner has led F1’s Red Bull team since 2005, overseeing its strong performances at the start of the 2010s and the present decade.
According to Red Bull sources, the environment within the team has become more hostile, a scenario exacerbated by this year’s troubles on track and rising doubt regarding star driver Max Verstappen’s future.
According to ESPN, a series of discussions were held over the last two weekends, including the team’s home event, the Austrian Grand Prix, and the British Grand Prix.
At least one of them featured Verstappen and Oliver Mintzlaff, a top business executive who has long advocated for a change in the leadership of Red Bull’s racing division.
Last month, Horner denied that Ferrari chairman John Elkann had approached him about potentially replacing the under-fire Fred Vasseur.
However, Horner’s position always appeared secure as long as he had the support of Red Bull main shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya, who co-founded the firm with the late Dietrich Mateschitz.
That situation seems to have altered. According to ESPN sources, no decision to remove Horner can be taken without Yoovidhya’s agreement.
Adrian Newey, famed technical director, left for Aston Martin last year.
Laurent Mekies, the former Racing Bulls team principal, has been elevated to Red Bull Racing’s CEO.
Horner led Red Bull to eight drivers’ titles and six constructors’ championships.
He has led the squad to all 124 Grand Prix triumphs.
