Christian Horner's two-decade reign at Red Bull Racing came to an abrupt end on Wednesday when he was dismissed from his role as team principal.
The 51-year-old was reportedly blindsided by the decision during a meeting at a London hotel suite on Tuesday afternoon.
According to German outlet Bild, Horner was informed of his sacking face-to-face by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko and global sports director Oliver Mintzlaff. It's claimed he was left stunned by the news.
The dismissal marks the end of an era for the constructor, with Horner having overseen Red Bull's transformation from grid newcomers to winners of six constructors' championships and eight drivers' championships during his tenure.
Christian Horner's two-decade reign at Red Bull Racing came to an abrupt end on Wednesday when he was dismissed from his role as team principal
PA
The sacking comes almost exactly a year after Horner became embroiled in a high-profile investigation that cast a long shadow over the team.
In February last year, he faced accusations of inappropriate behaviour from a female employee.
Horner was cleared twice - first by an internal investigation conducted by a lawyer, and subsequently by another lawyer who dismissed the employee's appeal.
According to the report, the fallout from that turbulent period ultimately contributed to his dramatic removal from the position he had held since 2005. The official reason for Horner's firing remains unstated by Red Bull.
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Christian Horner was hugely successful during his time at Red Bull
GETTYWhilst the sacking may have shocked Horner personally, preparations had been underway for weeks.
It's said that Mintzlaff began privately considering personnel changes during Red Bull's home race at the Austrian Grand Prix in late June.
A decisive conversation reportedly occurred at Red Bull's headquarters between Mintzlaff and the team's billionaire owners, Chalerm Yoovidhya and Mark Mateschitz.
One week later, during a Zoom call, Mintzlaff confirmed the decision with the owners giving the green light for Horner's removal.
Horner's expanding grip on power within Red Bull's structure had reportedly caused friction at the top. His control over marketing, technical and engine departments reportedly angered Yoovidhya, who at one point threatened to cut off contact unless Horner complied.
The clearest sign of Horner's precarious position emerged days before the British Grand Prix when both Yoovidhya and Max Verstappen were conspicuously absent from his annual clay pigeon shoot event near Oxford.
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Verstappen excused himself from the event with a supposed stomach bug, but his absence was particularly notable given growing tensions between driver and boss.
On track, Red Bull finds itself in unfamiliar territory after years of dominance.
The team has slipped to fourth in the constructors' standings, whilst Verstappen - winner of the last four titles - sits only third in the drivers' championship behind McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Christian Horner and Helmut Marko didn't always see eye-to-eye during their time as colleagues at Red Bull
GETTYMore concerning for Red Bull is that Verstappen reportedly has an exit clause allowing him to leave if he isn't in the top three by the end of July.
Throughout the turmoil, Verstappen's loyalty has remained with Marko, who discovered and backed him as a teenager.
When Marko threatened to quit during a power struggle with Horner in early 2024, Verstappen made his stance clear, leaving Horner's position increasingly precarious.