The Formula 1 world was rocked on Wednesday morning as Christian Horner was sensationally removed from his role as Red Bull CEO and team principal after two decades at the helm, but Martin Brundle insists Horner’s dismissal at Red Bull was not as surprising to insiders as it may have seemed to fans.
The move, which sees Laurent Mekies promoted to team principal and CEO, and Alan Permane step up as Racing Bulls team boss, signals the end of an era for the Milton Keynes squad—and leaves the sport asking what happens next.
Brundle, veteran Sky Sports commentator and respected former F1 driver, captured the feeling in the paddock, telling Sky Sports F1 that Horner’s exit was “sad” but, given recent events, “not completely out of the blue.” As Brundle explained, “It’s not been difficult to feel in the Formula 1 paddock, and to observe, and to hear, that things were not particularly rosy.”
Behind the Scenes: Why Red Bull Finally Cut Ties
Under Christian Horner’s leadership, Red Bull claimed 124 Grand Prix wins, eight drivers’ titles with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, and six constructors’ championships, making the team a modern F1 powerhouse.
Brundle praised Horner’s transformative role: “He took it from what was the Stewart team through Jaguar, and it was struggling, to a massive campus in Milton Keynes and an awful lot of success and a huge trophy cabinet.”
But 2025 has seen the mood shift dramatically. On-track struggles have seen Red Bull slip to fourth in the constructors’ standings, while uncertainty swirls around Max Verstappen’s future, amid reports of an exit clause and interest from Mercedes. The team’s inability to provide Verstappen with a competitive teammate has also weighed heavily.
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“It’s not been difficult to feel in the Formula 1 paddock, and to observe, and to hear, that things were not particularly rosy,” Brundle added, hinting at the mounting pressure and internal friction that preceded Horner’s departure.
“This all goes back to Dietrick Mateschitz dying, the 49 per cent owner of Red Bull who started it with the Yoovidhya family. He was in charge. Nothing happened without Mateschitz signing that off.
“He was the absolute leader of that group. You have seen since his death, and all sorts of other people coming in, where it started to go wrong.”
Off-Track Tensions Reach Boiling Point
Horner’s exit follows a turbulent stretch off the track as well. Early in 2024, he faced allegations of inappropriate behaviour, though he was ultimately cleared by Red Bull’s own investigation, the process heightened divisions behind the scenes.
The death of co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022 left a leadership vacuum and further unsettled the team’s structure, as did the high-profile exits of key technical and strategic personnel.
With Laurent Mekies now taking over and a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the team, the paddock is bracing for more drama. As the F1 season continues, all eyes will be on how Red Bull’s new leadership navigates one of the most critical turning points in the team’s history.
