McLaren Racing's chief executive Zak Brown has revealed he felt no shock at Christian Horner's removal from his position at Red Bull Racing.
Speaking to Canadian broadcaster TSN, Brown acknowledged that whilst the timing might have been unexpected, the outcome itself was not.
"I'm maybe [surprised by] the timing, but not the result," Brown stated during the interview.
He pointed to persistent turmoil within the Milton Keynes-based team over recent years, observing that "there's been a lot of drama there the last couple of years and it doesn't seem like that drama has been calming down - maybe been getting worse."
Getty | McLaren boss Zak Brown has admitted he is not surprised by Christian Horner's sacking
Horner's dismissal as team principal and chief executive occurred on 9 July, just three days following Max Verstappen's fifth-place finish at the British Grand Prix.
The 51-year-old Briton's exit occurred seventeen months following the emergence of accusations from a female staff member who alleged sexual harassment and controlling, coercive conduct.
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Red Bull conducted two internal inquiries that cleared Horner of wrongdoing, and he consistently rejected all claims against him.
The organisation has not disclosed any rationale for removing Horner, who had steered the team from its 2005 inception.
Laurent Mekies, previously heading their sister team Racing Bulls, has assumed control of the operation.
Brown's assessment comes as Red Bull faces mounting difficulties beyond the harassment controversy that preceded Horner's departure.
The team has witnessed an exodus of senior personnel, with design genius Adrian Newey departing in April 2024, reportedly influenced by the harassment scandal. The acclaimed technical chief has since joined Aston Martin.
Jonathan Wheatley, the team's longtime sporting director, left in July 2024 to become Sauber's team principal ahead of their transformation into Audi's works outfit.
READ MORE: Red Bull staff told to 'smile more' as employees reveal all after shock Christian Horner sacking
GETTY | Christian Horner oversaw great success at Red Bull during his time in charge prior to his dismissal last WednesdayRed Bull's strategy chief Will Courtenay has also committed to McLaren, though contractual obligations mean his arrival is pending.
Performance has deteriorated markedly, with Verstappen securing just two victories from twelve races this season whilst sitting third in the drivers' standings.
The team currently occupies fourth position in the constructors' championship.
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getty | Zak Brown and Christian Horner have had their differences over the years
The McLaren boss and Horner have endured a fractious relationship in recent years.
Brown previously declared that Red Bull's 2021 budget cap violation "constitutes cheating" and acknowledged in a BBC Sport interview last summer that he and Horner "used to get on."
During this year's Miami Grand Prix, Brown publicly ridiculed Red Bull's technical protests by drinking from a bottle marked "tyre water" - a jibe at Horner's complaints to the FIA regarding suspected tyre cooling methods at McLaren.
Brown dismissed the accusations as baseless and characterised his gesture as "poking fun at a serious issue."