When Red Bull sacked Christian Horner, an era ended.
It was all the Milton Keynes-based team had known since their founding in 2005. Horner was their first and only Team Principal.
He led them to glory in the early 2010s, creating one of the most dominant cars the sport had ever seen with Sebastian Vettel’s RB7. Vettel won four straight Drivers’ titles, and Red Bull three Constructors’.
He then battled Mercedes through their dominant turbo-hybrid era, raising a young wonderkid through the ranks in order to one day challenge Lewis Hamilton. And challenge him he did, battling out a historic 2021 championship to snatch the Drivers’ title away.
But it was Horner’s creation, one of his greatest successes, that eventually overthrew him.
Christian Horner rushed Max Verstappen through the Red Bull ranks, and was proven immediately right
Horner put everything into making Max Verstappen a success. Along with driver developer Helmut Marko, he brought him through Red Bull’s junior Formula ranks, before handing him a seat at Toro Rosso aged just 17.
And just four races into his Formula One career, Verstappen was a Red Bull driver. In a highly criticised move, Horner swapped established veteran Daniil Kvyat for Verstappen. Against all odds, Horner couldn’t have been proved more immediately right.
Verstappen won his very first race in the Red Bull at the Spanish Grand Prix, becoming the youngest ever F1 race winner at 18 years old. Horner’s faith in the young driver was immediately validated.
After some frustrating seasons with Red Bull off the pace and facing engine difficulties, Horner managed to build Verstappen a championship-winning car. And at the first time of asking, he won the Drivers’ championship, beating Hamilton on the final lap of the season.
Verstappen went on to win four straight Drivers’ titles, cementing himself as one of F1’s all-time greats. He climbed to the top of the mountain and Horner’s belief in him was validated. All was well at Red Bull.
Jos Verstappen calls out Christian Horner, “he is the one causing the problems”
Horner helped to create one of the greatest drivers the sport has ever seen, but that didn’t buy unwavering loyalty from his camp.
It all started through allegations of inappropriate behaviour, which were made against Horner in February 2024 by a female colleague. The allegations were dismissed following an appeal last summer, and Horner denied the accusations throughout.
But as the allegations become public, turmoil surrounded the Red Bull garage. They were reigning champions and had the fastest car on the grid, but the team was ripping itself apart from the inside.
Max Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, was the most outspoken during this period. He said that the team was “in danger of being torn apart” and that Horner was “playing the victim when he is the one causing the problems.”
These comments were the first glaring signs of a lack of support from Verstappen’s team, and the statements fuelled speculation of a deep division.
Many viewed Jos Verstappen’s stance as part of a larger power struggle within Red Bull, particularly after the death of Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022.
Mateschitz was seen as the figure who kept Marko, who was often aligned with the Verstappens, and Horner in check. Without him, internal factions seemingly emerged.
That was fine when they were winning. But suddenly they weren’t.
Max Verstappen Mercedes rumours were the straw that broke the camel’s back
In 2025, Red Bull did not give Verstappen a hope of the Driver’s title. The Red Bull is difficult to drive, so much so that the legendary Verstappen cannot keep pace with the McLarens who are running away with both championships.
| Position | Constructors' Standings | Points |
| 1 | McLaren Racing | 460 |
| 2 | Scuderia Ferrari | 222 |
| 3 | Mercedes-AMG Petronas | 210 |
| 4 | Red Bull Racing | 172 |
That brewed reports in Austria that Verstappen was looking to leave for Mercedes. While paddock rumours said Red Bull were behind in their 2026 development for the new regulation, Mercedes are thought to have the early advantage going into next season.
Now Horner had a problem. A divided team with key figures such as Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley moving on, their star driver maybe on the move and rumours of a slow car for the next regulations.
And with all of that going on, team Verstappen were throwing “hand grenades” in Horner’s direction, according to Martin Brundle on the Sky F1 Show.
Eventually a decision had to be made. It was widely reported that Verstappen’s potential departure was one of the factors that went into Horner’s departure as Team Principal. The driver Horner helped to create was one of his ultimate downfalls.
Ironically, we still don’t know if it will keep the Dutchman there. Mercedes could have the fastest car, Verstappen could leave, and the Red Bull team would be unrecognisable from what it was when it began.
Two years ago they were immortal. They failed to win only one race all season, running away with both championships. Fans wondered when the dominance would end.
Now, not only has the dominance ended, but so has the team as we know it.