LONDON : He will be succeeded by Laurent Mekies, who previously served as the principal of Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls.

The unexpected removal of the 51-year-old, confirmed by Red Bull’s parent company on Wednesday morning, comes over 17 months after Horner was at the centre of an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by an employee, from which he was subsequently cleared.

In a statement, Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO Corporate Projects and Investments at Red Bull, confirmed Horner’s release from operational duties. “We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years. With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1. Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history, Mintzlaff said.”

Under Horner’s stewardship since the team’s inception in 2005, Red Bull Racing achieved remarkable success, securing eight drivers’ championships and six constructors’ championships, establishing itself as one of the sport’s most dominant forces. This era included Sebastian Vettel’s four consecutive titles and Max Verstappen’s record-setting 2023 season, where the team won 21 out of 22 races.

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