Christian Horner has been sacked by Red Bull Racing after 20 years at the helm, following a heated confrontation with Jos Verstappen at the British Grand Prix.
The dismissal, announced on Wednesday morning, comes days after former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher witnessed what he described as "another argument or a heated exchange" between Horner and Max Verstappen's father at Silverstone.
Red Bull acted swiftly to appoint Laurent Mekies as the new CEO, promoting the Frenchman from his role as team principal at sister team Visa Cash App Racing Bulls.
The sacking marks the end of Horner's two-decade tenure, during which he led the team to six constructors' championships and eight drivers' world titles.
Christian Horner and Jos Verstappen had a heated exchange, according to Ralf Schumacher
GETTYSchumacher revealed the confrontation occurred in Red Bull's press office after the race, where Verstappen had finished fifth despite securing pole position.
"There was another argument or a heated exchange, at least visually and verbally between Jos Verstappen, Christian Horner, and the press officer," Schumacher said.
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"You could see that Jos was anything but happy with the situation."
The German former driver noted that Red Bull's press officer appeared to be attempting to defuse the situation between the two men.
Tensions have persisted between Horner and Jos Verstappen since allegations of inappropriate behaviour surfaced against the Red Bull boss in 2024, though Horner was cleared of those accusations.
Jos Verstappen has been openly critical of Horner's leadership for months, believing the team boss brought Red Bull "to the verge of falling apart," according to reports.
Schumacher expressed understanding for the senior Verstappen's frustration, stating: "But I understand it too.
"For me, Christian Horner is also a bit of a difficult person.
"I have to say that. He just failed to keep the team together well."
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Christian Horner and Jos Verstappen have had their problems in the past
GettyThe German highlighted Horner's inability to handle criticism, revealing he had been placed on "a so-called black list" by the now-former team principal.
Red Bull has haemorrhaged key personnel recently, with Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley departing for rival teams.
Max Verstappen's manager Raymond Vermeulen broke his silence on the dismissal, stating the team needed to move forward, though the driver himself has yet to comment publicly.
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Christian Horner was sacked by Red Bull on Wednesday morning
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According to ESPN, the atmosphere within Red Bull had become increasingly tense, with meetings held over recent race weekends involving Verstappen and director Oliver Mintzlaff, who had reportedly been pushing for leadership change.
The team currently sits fourth in the constructors' championship with 172 points, with Verstappen contributing 165 of those.
Formula 1 returns at the end of July with the Belgian Grand Prix, where Mekies will make his debut as Red Bull's new CEO.
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