Last Updated on May 9 2025, 7:41 am
Red Bull under the microscope as leadership speculation mounts ahead of crucial Imola weekend whilst a huge performance crisis deepens at Red Bull – All eyes will be on Red Bull Racing as the Formula One circus prepares to land in Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on 16-18 May. After years of dominance both on and off the track, the Milton Keynes-based outfit are under increasing pressure, not only because of their flagging performance, but also because of the whispers surrounding a possible shake-up at the top of their management structure, specifically Christian Horner.
After being dethroned by McLaren in 2024, Red Bull’s 2025 campaign has failed to recapture the dominant form that once made them untouchable. The team is only third in the Constructors’ Championship, with four-time world champion Max Verstappen currently trailing both McLaren drivers in the title chase. This dip in performance has led to increasing scrutiny, both internally and from rival teams, as questions grow over whether the organisation can right the ship before it’s too late.
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Whispers of consequences if Imola upgrade fails
Christian Horner, the long-serving team principal who has led Red Bull Racing since its entry into the sport in 2005. Under Horner’s leadership, Red Bull has risen from midfield anonymity to become a multiple title-winning powerhouse, collecting six constructors’ and eight drivers’ championships. His position has long seemed untouchable.
But now, amid growing frustration at Red Bull’s stagnation, Italian publication Autosprint has reported that his role may be more precarious than it appears.
The crux of the rumour lies in the upgrade package Red Bull are planning to bring to Imola. While technical upgrades are standard fare in any F1 season, this particular development is said to be of unusual significance. According to Autosprint, if the new package fails to deliver a significant performance boost, there could be consequences beyond the garage.
Thai billionaire Chalerm Yoovidhya, one of Red Bull’s most influential shareholders, is said to be growing impatient. The report suggests that Yoovidhya’s frustration could translate into a call for a change of leadership – possibly at Horner’s expense.
Is a successor already in place?
While it may seem dramatic to link Horner’s fate to the success of a single upgrade, the theory gains weight from Italian mainstream motorsport magazine, Autosprint, who claims that a successor is already in place.
According to the report, a potential successor resigned from a prominent F1 management role earlier this year, and his sudden departure may not have been coincidental.
The individual’s departure was initially linked to infighting at his former team, where a newly installed advisor with a notoriously combative management style had gained increasing influence. However, new rumours suggest that his departure was not a retreat from conflict, but a calculated move – timed in anticipation of a possible opening at Red Bull Racing.
The big reveal: Enter Oliver Oakes
The man in question is Oliver Oakes. A former karting prodigy turned team principal, Oakes most recently held the top job at Alpine, succeeding Bruno Famin.
His shock resignation earlier this year took many in the paddock by surprise. At the time it was thought that tensions with returning Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore had made his position untenable. But now, in the face of fresh speculation, a new narrative has emerged.
Autosprint suggests that Oakes may have seen an opportunity at Red Bull and made a strategic decision to leave Alpine. According to the Italian publication, the British team had already considered Oakes as a replacement candidate during the so-called “Horner affair” in 2024, when Red Bull was hit by internal investigations and power struggles. Although Horner survived the episode with his position intact, the controversy appears to have raised doubts about his long-term future.
Oakes, just 37, is well respected in motorsport circles for his blend of commercial savvy and racing knowledge. He has run successful junior teams and has built a solid reputation as a developer of young talent. More importantly, he has a long-standing professional relationship with Horner, dating back to their days together in the junior categories. This shared history, insiders say, could make Oakes the perfect candidate to take over should Horner either step aside or move up within the Red Bull corporate structure.
Promotion, not sacking?
The idea of Horner being sacked seems far-fetched to many in the sport. After more than two decades in the job and a trophy cabinet unmatched by most team principals in F1 history, Horner’s legacy is secure. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t considering his next move.
Former F1 driver and current RTL pundit Christian Danner recently suggested a different interpretation of the situation. In an interview with sport.de, Danner speculated that Oakes’ departure from Alpine could be linked to Horner’s own ambitions within Red Bull.
“It’s also possible that he has another offer, for a better job – at Red Bull. That’s a very realistic possibility,” Danner said of Oakes.
He went on to suggest that Horner could be looking to move into a broader executive role within Red Bull’s global organisation – a step up from his current position as Team Principal.
Such a move would not be out of the ordinary. After decades in one role, and with his influence extending well beyond the paddock, Horner could be eyeing an executive position overseeing multiple motorsport properties or even corporate strategy. Should that happen, he would need someone trusted and competent to take control of the day-to-day running of Red Bull Racing. Oakes, with his blend of youth, experience and loyalty, fits that profile.
“Oakes is a confidant of Horner’s, an old companion. They have known each other for a long time and have worked together before,” added Danner.
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Exciting weekend ahead
Whether this speculation has any substance, or is simply the product of a slow news cycle, will soon be tested. Imola has now become more than just another round of the World Championship – it is a potential turning point in Red Bull’s ongoing story.
If the upgrade package delivers and the team regains lost ground in the standings, talk of a change in leadership could quickly fade. But if the downward trend continues, pressure will mount not only on the technical team, but also on the boardroom. Horner’s future – whether in the garage, the boardroom or outside Red Bull altogether – could depend on what happens over a dramatic weekend in Italy.
For now, Red Bull is maintaining its characteristic silence. But inside the paddock, few believe that all is well. It’s not just a question of whether the RB21 will be fast enough at Imola – it’s a question of whether the team’s most enduring leader is about to complete his final lap.
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Renault have been a stalwart of Formula One since they joined the sport as works team outfit in 1977. In 1983 they began supplying engines to other competitors which is where the French company has had most of its F1 success.
They did win the constructors’ and drivers’ titles in 2005/2006 with Fernando Alonso, but their engine division has seen them power other constructor’s to ten further titles and nine drivers’ championships. Renault lie fourth in the all time wins for a power unit with 169 Grand Prix victories with a win rate of 22% from their 400 race starts.
Yet since their successful collaboration with Red Bull between 2010-2013, where they and Sebastian Vettel won four consecutive championships, the once French F1 superpower has been spluttering along with the odd cylinder missing here and there… READ MORE ON THIS STORY
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Redbull have 8 WDCs
quite right, thanks
As soon as I read 7 WDC’s it was a sign that the whole article is just satire