3 Reasons Why Red Bull Sacking Christian Horner Makes Perfect Sense

The Dutchman’s father, Jos Verstappen has never been a fan of Christian Horner. After the alleged inappropriate behavior case last year, the former Arrows driver claimed that the team was about to fall apart due to the Red Bull team boss. This enmity has continued since then, with a fallout reported even last weekend at Silverstone.

Things became so bad that there were rumors over Max Verstappen wanting Horner to be removed from the team. The reigning world champion has been linked to Mercedes for a surprise switch for next season. It is believed that the 27-year-old was ready to leave Milton Keynes if Horner was retained for the future.

While there are no confirmed reports of such an ultimatum, it can be seen that Verstappen camp’s resentment towards Christian Horner could’ve indeed played a role in his sacking. It is likely that Horner’s exit virtually confirms Max Verstappen for Red Bull at least till the end of 2028, something that the team desperately needed.

2. Alleged scandal destroyed Christian Horner’s image

In early 2024, Christian Horner was accused of inappropriate behavior by a female Red Bull employee. The team’s parent company Red Bull GmbH conducted an independent investigation and cleared the 51-year-old of any wrongdoing. However, the accusations were enough to tarnish Horner’s image.

The Briton managed to continue his role at the team courtesy of Red Bull co-owner Chalerm Yoovidhya. However, he virtually lost all support within his team. Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko were believed to be furious over the entire ordeal. It became clear that Horner was walking on eggshells.

Christian Horner lacked the confidence of key personnel within the team. As Red Bull’s results plummeted, faith in Horner’s leadership dwindled. It is possible that the morale within Milton Keynes fell to such a low point that the only way to recover was to see the 51-year-old depart.

3. Instability within Red Bull under Christian Horner

The past couple of seasons have witnessed a period of turmoil within Milton Keynes. Big names such as aero genius Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley have left to join rivals. The two were pivotal in making Red Bull a championship-winning team in F1 under Horner’s leadership.

Though, it seems that many big names within Red Bull lost faith in Christian Horner over the past year, and decided that it would be better to leave entirely. As such, Horner’s exit can mark a fresh era, under new CEO Laurent Mekies. This could allow Red Bull to start building itself back up after an exodus of talented personnel.

It is clear that Red Bull was in dire need of change. The Austrian team could no longer fight at the front as part of the status quo. As long as Christian Horner remained at the helm of the team, such a change could not happen. It was important for the energy drinks giant to start its new era with a fresh face. Horner’s exit would not only secure Verstappen for the future, but will mark a fresh start for Milton Keynes.