Christian Horner has been sacked by Red Bull, just over a year after a WhatsApp message scandal rocked the Milton Keynes-based team.
Horner was relieved of his duties as Red Bull team principal on Wednesday, with Racing Bulls chief Laurent Mekies named as his replacement. The 51-year-old has been in charge of the squad since their arrival in F1 back in 2005, but his position has been a topic of constant speculation and uncertainty over the past 18 months.
Horner was at the centre of a WhatsApp scandal during the opening stages of the 2024 campaign after an unnamed female Red Bull employee made allegations of ‘inappropriate conduct’ against the Red Bull boss. Alleged messages sent by the team principal were leaked to the media and team members in the paddock. He was subject to an internal investigation and was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
Rumours of an exit were also prominent in 2025, with Red Bull looking a shadow of the team that dominated the early stages of the ground-effect era. Max Verstappen was hunted down by McLaren’s Lando Norris during the closing stages of his 2024 title defence, and the team are now sitting fourth in the Constructors’ Championship standings with just two wins this season.
According to a report from German outlet BILD, the decision to part ways with Horner was supported by owners Chalerm Yoovidhya and Mark Mateschitz, as well as Helmut Marko.
In a statement from Racing Bulls on Wednesday, Mekies, who will replace Horner with immediate effect, said: “The last year and a half has been an absolute privilege to lead the team with Peter. It has been an amazing adventure to contribute to the birth of Racing Bulls together with all our talented people.
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“The spirit of the whole team is incredible, and I strongly believe that this is just the beginning. Alan is the perfect man to take over now and continue our path. He knows the team inside out and has always been an important pillar of our early successes.”
With Mekies out of the picture at Racing Bulls, Alan Permane will step into the role of team principal for the Faenza-based squad. The Frenchman previously served the role of racing director after making the move from Alpine, where he was released in July 2023.
Mekies inherits an uncomfortable scenario in Milton Keynes. Question marks are hanging over Verstappen’s future amid interest from Mercedes, and with an all-new power unit project launching in 2026, the team’s future as a modern F1 powerhouse hangs in the balance.
