News Summary
- Christian Horner believes he was removed because Red Bull considered him to have too much control after Dietrich Mateschitz’s death
- The former team principal says Max and Jos Verstappen were not responsible for his departure
- Red Bull previously said declining performance was a major factor, while Oliver Mintzlaff described the decision as necessary to begin a new chapter
Christian Horner has provided his clearest explanation of why he believes Red Bull ended his 20-year tenure as Formula 1 team principal, pointing to a fundamental change in the company’s internal power structure after the death of co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz.
Horner was removed from his operational roles in July 2025 and formally left Red Bull later that year. The team announced Laurent Mekies as his replacement but did not provide a detailed explanation for the decision at the time.
Speaking about his departure, Horner said he believes Red Bull eventually considered him to have accumulated too much control, while rejecting suggestions that Max Verstappen or his father Jos were responsible for his removal.
“I think ultimately things changed within the business, within the group,” Horner said. “The founder died, and after Dietrich’s death I think probably I was deemed to have maybe too much control.”
Horner points to Mintzlaff and Marko, not Verstappen
Horner specifically identified Red Bull executive Oliver Mintzlaff and former motorsport adviser Helmut Marko when discussing where he believes the decision originated.
“His father has never been my biggest fan. He’s been outspoken about me but I don’t believe that the Verstappens were responsible in any way,” Horner said. “I think this was a decision that was made by Oliver Mintzlaff with Helmut advising from the sideline.”
That distinction is significant because tensions between Horner and Jos Verstappen had been public since early 2024, while uncertainty over Max’s future repeatedly surrounded Red Bull during the final phase of Horner’s tenure.
The four-time world champion ultimately remained with Red Bull after Mekies replaced Horner.
Red Bull previously pointed to performance
Horner’s interpretation is not identical to the explanation Red Bull figures gave publicly after his departure.
Marko said in July 2025 that the decision resulted from “various factors”, but identified the team’s declining competitive performance as the principal issue.
Red Bull had dominated Formula 1 in 2023 before losing ground during the following seasons, while several senior figures — including Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley — left the organisation during a period of considerable internal change.
Mintzlaff later said Red Bull was “100 per cent behind” the decision to replace Horner and believed the organisation needed to “turn the page and start a new chapter”.
The Red Bull executive nevertheless praised Horner’s achievements and said the decision had not been taken quickly.
Horner’s departure ended a 20-year Red Bull era
Horner had led Red Bull Racing since the team entered Formula 1 in 2005, overseeing eight Drivers’ Championships and six Constructors’ titles during two separate periods of dominance with Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen.
His removal therefore represented one of the most significant management changes in modern Formula 1.
Mekies was promoted from Racing Bulls and inherited a team already developing its first Red Bull Ford power unit for the new regulations. Red Bull struggled during the opening phase of 2026 but has recently shown significant improvement.
Max Verstappen delivered the project’s first victory at Sepang, and Singapore will now test whether Red Bull’s Malaysian breakthrough represents a lasting improvement.
Horner, meanwhile, has continued to be linked with a return to Formula 1. Recent speculation has included Ferrari, although Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have publicly backed Frédéric Vasseur and Ferrari has expressed confidence in its team principal.
GRANDE PRÊMIO follows all the latest Formula 1 news throughout the 2026 season.
F1 today: FAQ
What time is the 2026 Singapore GP?
The Singapore GP starts at 20:00 local time on Sunday, October 11. That is 13:00 in the UK, 08:00 ET in the US and Canada and 17:30 in India. Singapore is a sprint weekend, with sprint qualifying on Friday and the sprint on Saturday.
Why does George Russell have a grid penalty in Singapore?
Russell has exhausted his permitted allocation of four engines after suffering a power-unit failure at Sepang. Mercedes must introduce another unit, triggering a grid penalty for Sunday’s Grand Prix. The penalty does not apply to Saturday’s sprint.
Can Kimi Antonelli win the F1 championship in Singapore?
No. Antonelli leads Russell by 84 points, 320 to 236, but cannot mathematically secure the 2026 title in Singapore. His first opportunity to become world champion comes at the United States GP in Austin.
Why does Christian Horner believe Red Bull fired him?
Horner believes Red Bull’s internal structure changed following Dietrich Mateschitz’s death and that he eventually came to be regarded as having too much control of the Formula 1 operation.
