Red Bull confirm Christian Horner to leave after settlement reached

Red Bull Racing have confirmed the full departure of former Team Principal Christian Horner, who leaves after 20 years with the team.

Horner had left his position as boss of the Milton Keynes-based F1 team in July, with the Red Bull parent company relieving him of his duties a few days after the British Grand Prix and replacing him with Racing Bulls team boss Laurent Mekies.

Since being removed from his position, Horner had been on gardening leave, with Red Bull now confirming a full severance deal has been agreed to release Horner from the Red Bull organisation altogether.

Red Bull Racing did not confirm specific details, which has been rumoured by various sources to include a pay-off valued between £50million and £80million, which would make it one of the most expensive pay-offs to an executive in sporting history. Horner had been on a contract that had been scheduled to run until the end of the 2030 F1 season.

Reports have also suggested that the now ex-Red Bull team boss is also free to join an F1 rival team from 2026 if he wishes to return to the sport.

The 51-year-old had been appointed as team boss when Red Bull brought the struggling Jaguar F1 team and first entered the sport as Red Bull Racing in 2005. In his time, the team have been a successful force in Formula One, with Red Bull winning 124 races, 8 Driver’s Championships and 6 Constructor’s Championships with Horner as team boss.

However, Horner’s position became unsecure after a chaotic 18 months on and off-track for Red Bull Racing.

Horner was strongly accused of misconduct by a female employee of the team in allegations that became public in February 2024, although two separate tribunals later cleared Horner of misconduct and he was allowed to stay in position.

This was then compounded by a loss of key personnel at the team’s executive level, including star designer Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley.

There was then a significant loss of form on track, with Red Bull finishing third in last season’s Constructor’s Championship despite Max Verstappen winning the Driver’s Championship and then a slow start to the 2025 season where Red Bull were fourth at the point Horner left his position after July’s British Grand Prix.

News of Horner’s exit was confirmed the day after Red Bull achieved back-to-back race wins for the first time in 2025, with Verstappen winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix yesterday (22/09) having won the preceding Italian Grand Prix.

In a statement shared by Red Bull Racing, Horner voiced his gratitude to the organisation for their time together.

He said, “Leading Red Bull Racing has been an honour and privilege. When we started in 2005, none of us could have imagined the journey ahead — the championships, the races, the people, the memories. I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved as a team breaking records and reaching heights no-one would ever believe were possible and I will forever carry that with me. However for me my biggest satisfaction has been assembling and leading the most amazing group of talented and driven individuals and seeing them flourish as a subsidiary of an Energy Drinks company and seeing them take on and beat some of the biggest automotive brands in the world.

“I wish Laurent, Max, Yuki and all of the Red Bull Technology Group the very best for the future. I am confident they will, as ever, deliver success on the track, for our fans, and continue to push to the maximum and I look forward to seeing the first Red Bull / Ford engine in the back of RB22 next year as well as the exciting RB17.

“I would like to thank our incredible sponsors and partners for their unwavering support who have played a key role in all our success. I would like to say a big thank you to the fans for their ongoing belief and without whom there would be no Formula One. Racing aside, I would also like to thank the shareholders, the late Dietrich Mateschitz for the opportunity he gave me as a 31 year old, Mark Mateschitz and Saravoot Yoovidhya and finally Chalerm and Daranee Yoovidhya for their friendship and commitment during my time at Red Bull as well as Oliver Mintzlaff and the Board for their guidance.”