Christian Horner Sacked by Red Bull, Laurent Mekies Takes Over as Team Principal

In a surprise move, Red Bull dismissed long-time Team Principal Christian Horner on July 8, replacing him immediately with Racing Bulls boss Laurent Mekies. The news became public on July 9, allowing Horner time to address his (now former) team before the announcement broke.

Horner has stated he was not given a clear reason for his dismissal. While he will remain employed within the Red Bull organization, he will no longer have any involvement with Red Bull Racing or Red Bull Powertrains.

This shake-up follows a series of misconduct allegations against Horner and a noticeable dip in Red Bull Racing’s performance. The team currently sits only fourth in the Constructors' Championship, which may have activated performance-related clauses in Max Verstappen’s contract. Verstappen is rumored to be exploring options with Mercedes.

Laurent Mekies steps in as Horner’s successor. Previously the team principal and CEO of Racing Bulls, Mekies brings a wealth of experience from his roles as chief engineer at Toro Rosso, and later as Racing Director and Deputy Team Principal at Ferrari.