F1 Insider Exposes Unhappy Christian Horner ‘Loyalists’ at Red Bull After Shock Exit

Red Bull Racing announced the shock exit of Team Principal Christian Horner last week. The Briton was shown the door after leading Milton Keynes for over two decades, a massive feat in Formula 1. However, the 51-year-old’s off-track controversies and the team’s declining results meant that his departure had almost become inevitable. Now, F1 commentator Nelson Valkenburg has revealed that Horner’s loyalists are fuming within the Austrian team.

Christian Horner was Red Bull’s team principal since the squad’s first season in 2005 after the energy drinks giant acquired the Jaguar F1 team. Over the years, the 51-year-old transformed the Milton Keynes-based outfit, making it a top team at the pinnacle of motorsport. This also included expansion of the base, as well as the start of Red Bull Powertrains for 2026. It is thus not a surprise that Horner enjoyed a loyal support base within his team. So much so, he was met with grand applause during his farewell speech.

This loyal support base could now become a problem for Red Bull and its new boss Laurent Mekies. Valkenburg pointed out that the Austrian team needs to improve its results straightaway, and perhaps attract more talent, something that Horner had failed to do. The F1 presenter claimed that most people who stayed at Milton Keynes in the last year and a half were mostly loyalists of the 51-year-old.

They (Red Bull) want to be better, so they need better people. Horner wasn’t able to get them, but the people who stayed were very loyal to Horner, they’re very unhappy as well.

Nelson Valkenburg said on The Race F1 Podcast

Nelson Valkenburg was in touch with the crew at Milton Keynes, having a number of phone calls with various personnel. The F1 insider revealed that Christian Horner’s loyal staff formed the core team at Milton Keynes. This core team is unsurprisingly not happy to see its leader be forced out of the door.

What we’ve heard over the last few days, we’ve had some calls with some people there, is that the people that were still there, the core team that were so loyal to Horner, are super unhappy.

Nelson Valkenburg added

Laurent Mekies to have hard time filling in Christian Horner’s shoes

Laurent Mekies has been chosen by Red Bull. The former Ferrari man was signed to lead sister team Racing Bulls in 2024. Though, the 48-year-old had been a part of the Faenza-based team till 2014 previously. Mekies has seemingly won over the higher ups at Red Bull GmbH, the parent company of the F1 team. However, winning over the crew might not be so easy.