Red Bull F1 boss Christian Horner has been sacked, it has been confirmed. He will be replaced by Laurent Mekies, who was previously in charge of Red Bull’s junior team, Racing Bulls.
The news comes almost 18 months after Horner was engulfed in a work conduct scandal, which was since dismissed, and as the team is struggling for form, amid suggestions that its unsettled world champion Max Verstappen is looking to leave.
“We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years,” said Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull managing director. “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.”
Following last year’s controversy Horner’s relationship with Verstappen’s management team and Red Bull’s young driver guru Helmut Marko became strained.
The squad’s tech chief Adrian Newey, the most successful designer in F1 history, and team manager Jonathan Wheatley, both left in the wake of the allegations in 2024.
Since then the team’s form has collapsed, with Verstappen battling an uncompliant car and his two most recent team-mates, Sergio Perez and Yuki Tsunoda, unable to consistently perform.
Christian Horner’s work-place misconduct controversy
In February 2024, news emerged that Horner was being investigated by Red Bull after allegations of inappropriate behaviour from a female colleague.
The complaint was examined by an external lawyer, with the allegations eventually being dismissed weeks later.
