CHRISTIAN HORNER was sacked as Red Bull team principal today.

Horner’s dismissal comes 17 months after he was accused by a female colleague of “inappropriate behaviour.” Horner was twice exonerated of the claims by the Formula One team’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH.

Today a statement from Red Bull GmbH read: “Red Bull has released Christian Horner from his operational duties with effect from today (Wednesday 9 July 2025) and has appointed Laurent Mekies as CEO of Red Bull Racing.”

Horner, 51, had been team principal at Red Bull since 2005, overseeing eight drivers’ world championships and six constructors’ titles.

However, Red Bull’s form has slumped with four-time world champion Max Verstappen having won only two of the 12 races staged this season.

Verstappen finished fifth in Sunday’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone — a race which would turn out to be Horner’s last in charge.

Red Bull Group chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff said: “We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years.

“With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula One.

“Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history.”

Horner’s future has been under the microscope following one of the biggest scandals to engulf F1.

At last year’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, Horner was cleared following an internal investigation into claims of wrongdoing by a female staff member at Red Bull, only for hundreds of WhatsApp messages, appearing to be exchanged between Horner and the complainant, were leaked to the F1 world.

Horner, married to former Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell, fought on and was cleared internally on two occasions, but he lost a number of key figures at Red Bull, with design guru Adrian Newey, chief designer Rob Marshall and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley all departing.

Verstappen’s future at Red Bull has also been in the spotlight. His father, Jos, claimed in Bahrain a year ago that Red Bull would “explode” if Horner remained in his role.

Verstappen went on to win a fourth consecutive world last year, but, despite being under contract until 2028, he has been linked with a move away.

Horner was subjected to boos at F1’s launch in London in February and McLaren CEO Zak Brown said in an interview with the PA news agency the following month he would feel “vulnerable” if he were in Horner’s shoes.

Brown said: “When I go and meet my board, I would not be feeling great because they would be going, ‘Well, why did he leave? Why did he leave? And why did he leave? Oh, and by the way, you didn’t seem to get a very warm welcome at the launch’. I don’t know how they feel. But I would feel vulnerable.”

Until his sacking, Horner had been the longest-serving boss on the grid.

Red Bull won their first world championship in 2010, with Sebastian Vettel taking four consecutive titles. Following a period of dominance by Mercedes, Red Bull rose again and in 2023 won 21 of the 22 races staged, with Verstappen setting a new record for 10 consecutive victories.

However, Verstappen has effectively ruled himself out of this season’s race. He is 69 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri at the midway stage of the 24-round season.

It is believed that a culmination of Horner’s image following last year’s scandal, Red Bull’s slump in form —Verstappen has won only four of the last 26 races — and continued questions about the Dutch driver’s future, all led to the feeling within the Red Bull hierarchy that a clean slate was required.

Frenchman Mekies, 48, will step up from team principal of Red Bull’s junior team, RB, to take Horner’s role with immediate effect. Mekies will be replaced by Alan Permane.

Speaking on Sky, former driver and respected broadcaster Martin Brundle said: “I don’t think it is completely out of the blue given the things that are going on, and the problems in the team.

“I am quite sad about it as I consider Christian a friend and he has done an incredible job for 20 years and won an awful lot of races and world championships for drivers and the team.

“But it has not been difficult to feel in the Formula One paddock to observe, and hear, that things were not particularly rosy.

“Christian has told me ‘no reason was given to him’ as to why he’s been released. Nothing is forever. Things move on.”