'Team Will Miss Him,' Nigel Mansell Gives Blunt Verdict on Christian Horner’s Shock Red Bull Axe

Red Bull’s decision to sack Team Principal Christian Horner has sparked controversy in the F1 paddock. There is no official reason behind the Briton’s sudden exit. However, critics are trying to connect the dots to understand what might’ve happened behind the scene. Amid all of this, former F1 world champion Nigel Mansell asserted that Milton Keynes will miss having Horner at the helm.

Christian Horner was informed about the team’s decision one day prior to the announcement. He got the chance to bid farewell to his entire crew as news hit the media. The Briton himself admitted that he could not have seen this coming. His speech was met with applause, as the crew expressed its support to their leader for the final time.

Nigel Mansell admitted that no one really knows what happened at Red Bull that led to Horner’s sacking following the British GP. The 1992 world champion asserted that he would not want to start making theories. Though, Mansell was indeed upset to see the 51-year-old be shown the door. He highlighted that Horner had done a stellar job for Red Bull ever since he took the reigns in 2005, something which the energy drinks giant could never forget.

No one really has the facts and it would not be professional of me to try and make an opinion, but all I can say is the magnificent job Christian Horner has done for 20 years is a testament to his skill and his dedication to the sport. That shouldn’t be forgotten.

Nigel Mansell told Aceodds.

Additionally, the former Williams driver insisted that such a major sacking this late in the season will do no good to Red Bull. Nigel Mansell was confident that Milton Keynes will miss Christian Horner’s leadership as it goes through a transitional phase under new team boss Laurent Mekies. So much so, Mansell asserted that the Austrian team will not be able to improve its results for the remainder of the year.

To do this mid-season, whatever the reasons are, it’s not helpful for the team. The team will miss him, there will be a transitional period. It will be a struggle for Red Bull to be as competitive as they would’ve wanted to be for 2025 now.

Nigel Mansell explained

Nigel Mansell labels Christian Horner’s exit a ‘horror’

Christian Horner was having a difficult time at Red Bull since early 2024. The 51-year-old was accused of inappropriate behavior by a female employee. While he was cleared of any wrongdoing after an investigation, his reputation was severely hampered. Max Verstappen’s camp allegedly wanted him removed from the team. Such reports were surfacing in the media recently, but no one could’ve expected this to happen now.