

A week after Christian Horner’s surprise dismissal, it was revealed how it happened. An express meeting with the Red Bull hierarchy, without so many detours and in a surprising way, that not even the Briton saw coming after the race at Silverstone
Oliver Mintzlaff and Helmut Marko were the ones who told him of his departure from the energy drink team, where everything was decided by means of a zoom call, and with a meeting in a luxurious hotel in London, but did they play him dirty?
Tom Holland briefly felt trapped in F1 car
This is how Christian Horner was informed of his departure from Red Bull
In a report by Bild, it is reported how Christian Horner was told of his immediate departure as team principal of the energy drink team, something that took him by surprise, although it had been in the pipeline for weeks and in a ‘clandestine’ manner
According to the German media, Oliver Mintzlaff and Helmut Marko were the ones who broke the news to him in person in a luxury suite in London on Tuesday after a secret meeting. Thus, without prior communication, nor rumors in the F1 paddock and without negotiation maneuver. He was simply informed
“He was told bluntly that he had been relieved of his duties, he was completely surprised. He did not expect his departure to materialize in this way and much less in that place,” says Bild
A dismissal worked on in advance by Red Bull
In addition, it was detailed that the plan had already been underway for weeks, which was driven by Oliver Mintzlaff at the end of June during the home race, the Austrian GP, together with the owners who attended that weekend at the Red Bull Ring: Chalerm Yoovidhya, who was a regular supporter of Christian Horner; and Mark Mateschitz, heir and son of the founder of the energy drink. As well as Helmut Marko
After the ‘clandestine conclave’ in Spielberg, the final decision came on Monday prior to Christian Horner’s dismissal when those present at the meetings held a Zoom call, where Mintzlaff informed his decision to dismiss the British executive, which was supported by the rest and given the green light to thank him
With the decision made, the owners traveled to London, together with Helmut Marko, to deliver the final blow in a luxury hotel. There was no scandal or leaks, “a calculated and irreversible maneuver by Red Bull to fire Christian Horner,” Bild wrote in its article
Reasons for Christian Horner’s dismissal
Finally, the German media pointed out that the Briton no longer had the support of the Red Bull hierarchy, largely because of the latest decisions that have them involved in a crisis in F1
There was not a single reason to thank him, it was a series of internal tensions that ended up overflowing the glass, one of them, for the power struggle against Helmut Marko. As well as the scandal in which he was involved for alleged ‘inappropriate behaviour’ against a worker; as well as Horner’s ambition to have more and more power within the team
The last sign of the Briton’s poor relationship with Red Bull’s management came a few days before his sacking, when he organised his traditional clay pigeon shooting event at his estate near Oxford, where among the 40 guests were Chalerm Yoovidhya (his faithful backer) and Max Verstappen. However, neither of them attended, making it clear that something was already broken and that there was already distance
Thus, Christian Horner’s departure confirms the internal revolution taking place at Red Bull, who will be looking to take a new direction ahead of the 2026 F1 season. In addition, “what happened in the London suite shows that, in Formula 1, the most important decisions can be made away from the paddock, without cameras, leaks and with surgical precision,” Bild fulminated.
This news was originally published on this post .
Be the first to leave a comment