Red Bull's senior executive has publicly addressed the dramatic decision to dismiss Christian Horner, ending his two-decade tenure as the Formula 1 team's principal.
The End of an Era at Red Bull Racing
Oliver Mintzlaff, the de facto CEO of Red Bull GmbH, has insisted the company had to act after removing Christian Horner from his role in July 2025. Horner, 52, was let go after 20 years in charge, a period during which he secured 14 world championships for the team. The move followed a fractious internal divide and a series of disappointing results earlier in the year.
Mintzlaff, whose official title is Chief Executive of Corporate Projects and New Investments, told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that the organisation could not rely on past glories. "I wouldn't call it a risk, because we were 100 per cent behind this measure," he stated. "We knew we had to do something... But this is also part of being a professional organisation. You can't keep relying on history and we felt it was time to turn the page and start a new chapter."
Scrutiny, Investigations, and Internal Tensions
The decision came after Horner faced immense scrutiny at the start of the 2024 season over allegations of "inappropriate behaviour" from a female colleague. He was cleared twice following two separate internal investigations. However, the controversy and the team's subsequent performance issues created a backdrop of instability.
The internal tensions were further highlighted last week when Red Bull's outgoing adviser, Helmut Marko, launched a stinging attack. Marko accused Horner of "lying" and suggested that driver Max Verstappen would have won the 2025 world championship if Horner had been dismissed sooner. Verstappen ultimately missed out on a fifth consecutive title by just two points to McLaren's Lando Norris.
Mintzlaff declined to comment directly on Marko's remarks, saying, "Those words about Christian are Helmut's responsibility." He added, "I can't say anything negative about Christian, simply because he has meant a lot to Red Bull. But there always comes a time when things aren't going well and then, as a company, you have to make a decision."
Looking Ahead: A New Chapter for Red Bull
Mintzlaff reflected on the unprecedented longevity of the Horner-Marko partnership, which began with the team's inception in 2005. "Give me a few examples of other large sports organisations where the leadership team has remained the same for so long," he said. "Sometimes you just need a change to shake things up."
The new chapter begins in earnest in 2026 when Red Bull launches its own power unit for the first time, in partnership with Ford. Isack Hadjar will partner Max Verstappen in the driver lineup. Horner, meanwhile, agreed an £80 million pay-out in September and has been strongly linked with a move to the Alpine team, with the possibility of returning to the F1 paddock in the spring of 2026. The new season commences on 8 March 2026 in Melbourne, Australia.
