- CEO and Team Principal Christian Horner was fired by Red Bull Racing on Wednesday after 20 years.
- After dominating the previous couple of years, Red Bull sits fourth in the World Constructors’ Championship, and they have won just two races in 2025.
- Max Verstappen’s contract could allow him to leave, and he has had issues with Horner in the past, which may have been an impetus for the CEO’’s firing.
After 20 years at Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner is out as chief executive officer and team principal. Red Bull’s results haven’t been up to their high standard in 2025, which many believe has contributed to the situation. However, there’s another storyline developing.
With rumors swirling that Max Verstappen might leave Red Bull, firing Horner might have been the solution for keeping their best driver.
Horner Out After Two Decades, Replaced by Mekies
The shocking news was announced early on Wednesday.
Horner began with Red Bull Racing in January 2005, and under his leadership, the company has been a force in F1 racing. They have won a total of eight World Drivers’ Championships, six World Constructors’ Championships, and 124 races.
Horner’s problems started last year, when he was accused of sexual misconduct by a Red Bull employee. The 51-year-old, who is married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, was cleared of the allegations. However, the case is going to a labor judge in the United Kingdom in January 2026.
Red Bull has promoted Laurent Mekies, who was the team principal for RB Formula One Team, to the CEO role for Red Bull Racing.
2025 has been a rude awakening for Red Bull on the track. The team won the Constructors’ title in 2022 and 2023, while Max Verstappen has been the dominant force in F1 for the last four years, winning each drivers’ title since 2021.
But in 2025, Verstappen is third in the standings and has won just two races, in Japan and Italy. He has also missed the podium six times and had to retire from the Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull’s home race.
Horner has had an icy relationship with Verstappen and his father, Jos, and has many wondering if they had something to do with his firing.
How Much Did Max Verstappen Have to Do with Horner’s Firing?
Verstappen did post a message thanking Horner on his social media.
However, Verstappen didn’t back Horner during the investigation last year. Jos Verstappen publicly scolded Horner for putting himself and the team in this situation. The younger Verstappen has tried to stay out of it in the public eye, but he continued to get questions about Horner.
There is also the speculation that Verstappen could leave Red Bull after the 2025 season. Horner himself said last week:
"Max is a key part of our team, and has been for pretty much 10 years now. So, the intention is to keep that going. But one day, whether it's a year after [this] or the year after [that], there will be a day that there is no more Max [at Red Bull].
There is an exit clause in Verstappen’s contract that he could leave if he is lower than third place heading into August, when there is a break in the schedule. Verstappen is third currently, so we’ll have to see how the standings shake out after the races in Belgium and Hungary.
The Dutch driver is third in the odds at Formula 1 betting sites to win the Belgian Grand Prix, behind Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. These two are also ahead of Verstappen in the standings.
Mercedes is watching the situation as it is rumored they would jump at the chance to lure Verstappen away. Perhaps the firing of Horner was meant to help placate Verstappen and keep him at Red Bull for years to come. But this is a situation that could shake the future of Formula 1!
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