Red Bull Racing has removed Christian Horner from his long-standing role as team principal, marking a significant leadership shift for the Formula One powerhouse.
Horner, married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, weathered intense scrutiny last year following allegations of coercive behaviour towards a colleague.
He was cleared twice after internal investigations.
Despite those clearances, Horner’s position remained under pressure amid controversies and declining team performance on the track.
The 51-year-old had been at the helm of Red Bull Racing since its inception in 2005, guiding the team to eight drivers’ titles and six constructors’ championships.
However, this season has been less than stellar, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen securing just two wins out of 12 races.
Sunday’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where Verstappen finished fifth, is now known to be Horner’s final race in charge of the team.
Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing Director of Red Bull GmbH, confirmed Horner’s departure in a formal statement issued on Monday.
The statement read: “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.”
The team will now move forward under new leadership. Laurent Mekies has been appointed as CEO of Red Bull Racing, while Alan Permane will step up from Racing Director to Team Principal at Red Bull Racing.
Reflecting on the transition, Mekies said, “The last year and a half has been an absolute privilege to lead the team with Peter. It has been an amazing adventure to contribute to the birth of Racing Bulls together with all our talented people.”
“The spirit of the whole team is incredible, and I strongly believe this is just the beginning,” he added.
“Alan is the perfect man to take over now and continue our path. He knows the team inside out and has always been an important pillar of our early successes.”
Permane, in a brief statement, said: “I feel very honoured to take on the role as Team Principal and would like to thank Oliver and Helmut for the trust they have shown in me.”
At last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix, Red Bull launched an internal probe into allegations from a female staffer. Horner was cleared, but the matter escalated when hundreds of WhatsApp messages—allegedly between him and the complainant—were leaked.
Despite maintaining his innocence and surviving two rounds of internal investigations, Horner’s position was weakened by the fallout, with several key figures resigning.
Notable exits include technical mastermind Adrian Newey, chief designer Rob Marshall, and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley—each a pillar of Red Bull’s success in the hybrid era.
Meanwhile, questions around Max Verstappen’s future have persisted. His father, Jos Verstappen, warned in Bahrain last year that Red Bull would “explode” if Horner remained.
Verstappen did go on to clinch a fourth straight world title, but speculation has continued linking him to a potential move, despite a contract running until 2028.
Horner also faced fan backlash earlier this year, with boos heard during F1’s official season launch event in London.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown spoke candidly in a subsequent interview, suggesting Horner’s position had become untenable in the eyes of key stakeholders.
“When I go and meet my board, I would not be feeling great,” Brown said. “They would be going, ‘Why did he leave? Why did he leave? And why did he leave? Oh, and by the way, you didn’t seem to get a very warm welcome at the launch.”
“I don’t know how they feel. But I would feel vulnerable,” Brown added, hinting at deeper fractures within the F1 establishment surrounding Horner’s leadership.
With Mekies and Permane now leading Red Bull’s future direction, the focus will shift towards stabilising team morale, strengthening on-track results and safeguarding its long-term driver line-up.
Editing by M10News Sports Desk | Contact: info@m10news.com
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