Christian Horner reflects on brutal Red Bull departure after 20 years

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 13:32 · Archive

Christian Horner, who was sacked as Red Bull team principal in July 2025 after 20 years, has described his departure as brutal.

Christian Horner was sacked as Red Bull's CEO and team principal in July 2025 after 20 years in the role. He received a £67 million severance payment. His dismissal followed an internal power struggle and a decline in the team's form.

Horner's exit was unrelated to a texting scandal from 2024 in which he was accused of sending inappropriate messages and photographs to a female employee. He was cleared of misconduct by two independent investigations and has always denied the claims.

Reflecting on his departure, Horner described it as 'particularly brutal and sad to finish in that manner'. He said he now has a reasonable relationship with Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull's CEO of corporate projects, who recently rang to thank him for his work on the engine. 'It was very strange because that group became your extended family,' Horner told The Guardian.

Red Bull has since won back-to-back Grand Prix victories with Max Verstappen, who secured wins at the Bahrain and Malaysian Grands Prix with an engine built entirely by the team.

How it is being reported

• Christian Horner calls Red Bull sacking - with £67m pay-out - 'brutal' after his ex-wife died just a week before, as he hails new wife Geri Halliwell for helping him through his sex texts scandalHorner, 52, was sacked as CEO and Team Principal in July 2025 after 20 years in the role following an internal power struggle and a decline in form.Daily Mail Sport · 13 Oct, 13:18
• Christian Horner: ‘Not all teams act that way. You don’t see the same brutality as when I left’The 52-year-old reflects on the pain of being sacked after two decades turning Red Bull into an F1 powerhouse, questioning his purpose in life and dealing with panic attacks Christian Horner should be in steamy Singapore, preparing for another grand prix victory, but here he is, at home on an autumnal morning in genteel Highgate as his wife, Geri Halliwell-Horner, welcomes me with a cheerful hug. Horner smiles as the former Spice Girl produces an impressive imitation of my South African accent which echoes her old headteacher at Watford Girls. After the most controversial man in the recent…The Guardian · 12 Oct, 19:00

In this story: Christian Horner · Red Bull · Max Verstappen · Geri Halliwell-Horner · Oliver Mintzlaff

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