CHRISTIAN HORNER’S fate my have been sealed after a frosty interaction with Red Bulls owners in Austria, reports claim.
Horner was with immediate effect after 20 years as team principal on Wednesday.
Horner has faced a turbulent last 18 months on and off the track, after over inappropriate behaviour towards a female colleague leaked in March 2024.
The Brit, 51, has had several rows with Jos Verstappen, father of driver Max, since the fallout, with several high-profile people quitting the team, including legendary chief designer Adrian Newey.
Reports of hostility among Red Bull’s team have continued to grow even after Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing by an internal investigation.
And there has been reports of a growing rift between Horner and Red Bulls Thai owners, who chose not to sack him after the scandal broke.
F1 journalist Joal Lischika reported seeing the owners greet Horner “coldly”; in the hospitality unit at the Austria Grand Prix weekend in June.
The Yoovidhya family, through Chalerm Yoovidhya, holds the majority 51 per cent stake, while the late Dietrich Mateschitz’s son, Mark Mateschitz, inherited his 49 per cent share.
To make matters worse Red Bull suffered its worst home race result in recent history, with crashing out after three laps after being hit by Mercedes No2 Kimi Antontelli.
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda had a particularly difficult time, being lapped twice on his way to finish dead-last of those who crossed the chequered flag.
Four-time world champion Verstappen, 27, qualified down in seventh, while Tsunoda finished qualifying in P18.
Despite reports, Horner and the majority owners put on a show of unity as they posed for pictures in the paddock in Austria on June 29.
But according to Lischika, there was apparently a growing feeling that Horner simply held too much power, after taking charge of operations during Red Bull’s inception in 2005.
Horner, married to Spice Girl , was chairman of Red Bull Racing, Red Bull Technology, Red Bull Power Trains, and marketing.
The owners have since appointed Laurent Mekies as the new CEO of, stepping up from the Racing Bulls team.
Horner reportedly had another row withJos at Silverstone on Sunday, according to former F1 driver .
Schumacher told the Boxengasse-podcast: “There was another argument or a heated exchange, at least visually and verbally between Jos, Christian Horner, and the press officer.
“You could see that Jos was anything but happy with the situation”;.
It comes after a series of rows between Verstappen Snr and Horner, with the Dutchman repeatedly calling for Horner’s dismissal after the before the Bahrain race in 2024.
Horner’s wife Geri was reportedly devastated by the scandal, butof solidarity at key races.
In total, Horner wonEIGHTdrivers’ championships and six constructors’ titles.
For the first time ever, a new team principal, Mekies, will lead Red Bull at the Belgian Grand Prix on July 27 after a three week break.
