Christian Horner has been sacked by Red Bull after 20 years as team principal. He oversaw eight drivers’ championships and six constructors’ championships wins at the UK-based team and all 124 of Red Bull’s grand prix victories and 287 podium finishes came under his stewardship.
He oversaw dominant Red Bull runs at the start of the 2010s and the current decade and has been in charge of Red Bull since its inception in 2005. His dismissal comes 17 moths after misconduct allegations, as well as a decline in Red Bull’s form this season.
ESPN takes a look back at his career in F1 in pictures.
Horner gets his start in F1
The newest team in F1, Red Bull racing — born out of their founder Dietrich Mateschitz’s acquisition of Jaguar racing — named Christian Horner as boss in 2005.
The Brit became the youngest team principal in the history of F1 at just 31 years old, a record he still holds today.
First GP win
F1 legend Sebastian Vettel’s Chinese GP victory in 2009 was Red Bull’s first-ever race win.
Mark Webber took 2nd to secure a Red Bull 1-2 and the team’s first taste of success under Horner.
The Rain-soaked Shanghai victory marked the start of a Red Bull dynasty as they would go on to win 123 more races under Horner.
Double success
In 2010, Red Bull and Horner cemented themselves as a force to be reckoned with in F1 as they took both the driver’s and constructor’s titles.
Vettel started the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi 15 points behind Fernando Alonso at the top of the driver’s standings, but he went on to win the race and ensure both titles were heading to the MIlton-Keynes based outfit.
Renault years
After hybrid engines were introduced in F1 in 2014, Red Bull began to struggle with their Renault engines not up to the mark. Horner’s clashes with Renault’s Abitebou defined a period where Red Bull took a back seat amid Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton’s dominance.
The two racing teams ended their partnership in 2018, with Red Bull switching to Honda engines, a move that coincided with their return to championship contention and eventual dominance with Max Verstappen.
Max Verstappen announces himself
At just 18 years of age, Max Verstappen became the youngest-ever F1 race winner at the 2016 Spanish GP. It was his debut race for Red Bull.
After racing for Torro Rosso at just 17, Horner recognised Verstappen’s talent and promoted him to Red Bull after just four races of the 2016 season. The gamble paid off and some. The Dutchman going on to win 65 races, four driver’s championships and contribute to two constructor’s championships under Horner.
Misconduct investigation
In February 2024, it emerged that a female Red Bull employee had made serious allegations against Horner of “inappropriate, controlling behaviour.” He continued on as team principal while the team oversaw an investigation.
He was cleared of all charges later that season by parent company Red Bull GmbH after an independent investigation, however a day later unverified “sexually suggestive” text messages alleged to have been sent by Horner to the complainant were anonymously leaked to various people in F1, including ESPN journalists.
Amid a media storm, Horner’s wife and former Spice girl Geri Halliwell stood by him. An independent investigation cleared him before the following season started.
Horner sacked by Red Bull
After 20 years in charge, Horner was sacked by Red Bull on July 9. Sources have told ESPN a series of meetings took place over the two weeks before his sacking — the team’s home race, the Austrian Grand Prix, and the British Grand Prix.
Red Bull have never known F1 without Christian Horner at the helm, he will now be replaced by Laurent Mekies, who steps up from the Racing Bulls.
