HEARTBREAKING: Christian Horner’s Emotional Reaction to Question About Leading Another F1 Team After R…read more
Christian Horner has opened up emotionally following his dramatic departure from Red Bull Racing, the Formula 1 team he helped build from the ground up. The long-serving team principal was dismissed last week after nearly two decades at the helm, marking the end of an era for one of F1’s most successful outfits.
Horner, 51, had been in charge of Red Bull Racing since its entry into the sport in 2005. Under his leadership, the team grew into a dominant force in Formula 1, claiming six Constructors’ Championships and guiding drivers to eight world titles — including four with Sebastian Vettel and four (so far) with Max Verstappen.
However, after two seasons of dominance in 2022 and 2023, Red Bull’s performance began to decline. The 2024 season brought inconsistent results, and by the halfway point of the 2025 season — after 12 races — the team had slumped to fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship standings. Verstappen, their star driver, has managed only two race wins this year, leaving his hopes for a fifth consecutive world title hanging by a thread.
The underwhelming results ultimately led to Horner’s dismissal. He has since been replaced by Laurent Mekies, formerly of Racing Bulls (Red Bull’s sister team), signaling a significant change in leadership for the Milton Keynes-based squad.
Despite his exit, Horner’s name continues to circulate in the F1 paddock, with rumors linking him to possible positions at Ferrari and Alpine — two teams currently experiencing internal and performance challenges. At Ferrari, Fred Vasseur’s future remains uncertain as the team has failed to mount a serious challenge for the championship, even after recruiting seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Alpine, on the other hand, is undergoing its own restructuring, with Flavio Briatore stepping in on a temporary basis following the resignation of team principal Oliver Oakes in May.
Interestingly, Horner has a personal connection to Alpine through his friendship with Briatore — so close, in fact, that Horner once named his dog after him.
But despite the speculation, Horner appears emotionally tied to Red Bull and has strongly hinted that moving to another team may not be on the cards. Speaking during an episode of the *Inside Track* podcast recorded in May — before his departure — Horner said he couldn’t envision working for any other outfit.
> “I couldn’t begin to imagine working for another team other than Red Bull,” Horner said. “I’ve been here from the start. I have no intention of being anywhere else, so yeah, it’s an impossible question.”
Now faced with life outside Red Bull, Horner finds himself at a crossroads. While his pedigree and experience make him a highly attractive candidate for any F1 team in need of strong leadership, it remains to be seen whether he will choose to take up a new challenge — potentially even as a direct rival to the team he spent 20 years building — or whether he will take time away from the sport altogether.
Regardless of his decision, Christian Horner’s departure marks one of the most seismic shifts in recent Formula 1 history, and fans across the grid will be watching closely to see what comes next for one of the sport’s most iconic figures.
