Christian Horner reveals what led up to his ‘abrupt and brutal’ Red Bull F1 exit

Former Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has opened up about his departure, calling the timing "pretty abrupt and quite brutal." Speaking at the Autosport Business Exchange in New York during his first US appearance since leaving, Horner reflected on his July 2025 exit after two decades at the helm. He was replaced as CEO and team principal by Laurent Mekies.

Horner explained that internal culture shifted significantly after company founder Dietrich Mateschitz passed away in late 2022. Red Bull's head office sought greater control, which conflicted with the autonomy previously granted to the Milton Keynes team. Horner noted that despite the ending, he looks back with pride on his tenure, which featured six constructors' championships and eight drivers' titles.