Christian Horner has officially left Red Bull today with a multi-million pound package that allows him to return to Formula One next year.
Daily Mail Sport understands that weeks of negotiation have concluded in a settlement reduced from the figure he would have received if his contract, due to run until the end of 2030, had been paid out in full.
That, however, would have denied him as swift a return to the sport, a delay he wished to avoid.
An announcement confirming his departure is expected today, 10 weeks after he was ‘relieved of operational duties’.
Horner’s departure marks the end of a career at the Milton Keynes-based team that yielded eight drivers’ and six constructors’ world titles in two verses of success, first with Sebastian Vettel and then Max Verstappen. He served as team principal from Red Bull’s inception on the Formula One grid in 2005 and was consistently flanked at tracks around the world by wife Geri Halliwell.
Christian Horner, pictured with wife Geri Halliwell, has officially left Red Bull
Horner has landed an enormous package that allows him to take up another job in Formula One
He was summarily relieved of the role following the British Grand Prix, the decision being announced by Red Bull GmbH, the Austria-based energy drinks’ parent company, on July 9.
Horner, 51, was given no explanation for his firing – but it is understood that he fell victim to a power struggle.
Matters were coming to a head at the Red Bull Ring, venue of the team’s home race in Spielberg, a week before the British GP. Results were dire in Austria: Verstappen, who qualified seventh, retired after colliding with Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli (who was to blame for the accident) and Yuki Tsunoda was 16th and last of the finishers.
So, Horner’s position, after years of unbroken success, was no longer built on rocks. His situation first came into doubt amid accusations that he acted coercively towards a female employee, claims that came to light in February 2024. He was twice cleared by KCs in internal hearings, and he denied wrongdoing.
Horner was backed by wife Geri, who staged a public show of support when she walked down the paddock hand-in-hand with him on the day of the Bahrain Grand Prix a few weeks later.
The internal dynamic at Red Bull changed with the death in 2022 of his No 1 supporter, the organisation’s founding billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, aged 78. Horner and others, such as Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO of Corporate Projects and New Investments of Red Bull GmbH, and former RB Leipzig football club chief executive, vied for seniority in the new order, which had been shorn of its natural leader.
Horner’s next major backer, not least during the wobbly period of accusations against him, was Chalerm Yoovidhya, Red Bull’s Thai co-owner. Worth £26.5billion, he protected Horner against his enemies on the Austrian wing of the company, which was headed by Mark Mateschitz, Dietrich’s now 33-year-old heir.
Mark’s views of Horner have never been publicly expressed. But Daily Mail Sport has been told that he was pressed by Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s 82-year-old ever-present motorsport adviser, and Verstappen’s father Jos, to remove him. Jos told Daily Mail Sport last year that Red Bull would ‘explode’ if Horner stayed in post.
Red Bull supremo Oliver Mintzlaff (right) alongside motorsport adviser Helmut Marko, sought to wrest more control over the F1 organisation’s wider business interests
Chalerm Yoovidhya, Red Bull’s Thai co-owner, stood by Horner against his enemies on the Austrian wing of the company
Horner has hugely missed being involved in the sport he loves since his removal
These machinations played into the plot that brought Horner low when Chalerm went along with the anti-Horner brigade this July, albeit with great reluctance, after being lent on heavily by the opposing faction.
He withdrew his support and that was the end of Horner at Red Bull. Since then, Horner has hugely missed being involved in the sport he loves and has remained in contact with members of his old team.
Laurent Mekies, a well-regarded engineer from France, has taken Horner’s old role. He has moved up from the stable’s junior team, Racing Bulls – to where, after a distinguished career at Ferrari and the FIA, he was ironically appointed by Horner.
Red Bull’s results have been impressive in recent weeks, with Verstappen taking victories in Monza a fortnight ago and Azerbaijan this past weekend.
