Horner axed in Red Bull’s power struggle?

Is Christian Horner on the edge? Red Bull’s power struggle is now fully in the open – There was a time when Christian Horner was synonymous with Red Bull Racing. The sharp-suited, media-savvy team principal was always ready with a quip for Sky Sports and a barb for Toto Wolff, and had long seemed untouchable in Milton Keynes. However, as the Formula 1 season approaches the summer break in 2025, it seems that the ground beneath Horner’s once impregnable position is starting to crumble, and none other than Max Verstappen may be wielding the chisel.

Whispers of unrest within Red Bull have returned with a vengeance, and according to the usually well-informed Auto, Motor und Sport, a major internal power shift may be on the horizon. If the report is to be believed, Horner’s grip on power is now being actively challenged, with his biggest asset — Verstappen — reportedly becoming his most dangerous liability.

Verstappen reportedly wants change, and fast. His camp is said to be calling for a ‘strategic realignment’ at Red Bull, which essentially means either replacing Horner outright or severely limiting his influence.

The message is clear: Max no longer sees a future in the current Red Bull setup.

 

From ‘Mr Red Bull’ to ‘maybe not for long’

The idea of Christian Horner being shown the door at Red Bull would have sounded like drunken paddock gossip just a year ago. But now it’s being openly discussed in reputable publications. Why? Because the cracks are not just in Horner’s relationship with Verstappen, but also in the political scaffolding that has kept him in place.

For months, rumours have circulated that Red Bull’s Austrian arm, the original part of the energy drink empire, has grown tired of Horner’s grip on power, especially in the wake of the internal investigations earlier this year. Until recently, Horner’s saving grace was the support of the Thai majority owners, particularly the influential Yoovidhya family. However, according to Auto, Motor und Sport, even that support is beginning to evaporate like one of Red Bull’s more questionable flavour releases.

Without this support, Horner could soon find himself facing the Formula 1 equivalent of redundancy, with no golden parachute in sight. If he leaves, it won’t be because of poor results, Red Bull are still strong, if no longer dominant, but because the team has become a pressure cooker of competing agendas, fragile egos and Verstappen-sized ultimatums.

 

So who will replace the irreplaceable?

The uncomfortable truth is that while Christian Horner may be deeply unpopular in some quarters of Red Bull, replacing him isn’t as simple as swapping out a front wing. Love him or loathe him, he has led the team to multiple constructors’ and drivers’ titles, built a well-oiled machine, and until recently was the mastermind behind the Verstappen era.

His potential successors read like a who’s who of motorsport politicos and paddock power players: Peter Bayer (Red Bull’s CEO), Andreas Seidl (who had steered Sauber towards Audi) and Oliver Oakes (who manages young talent via Hitech GP and is close to Verstappen’s inner circle).

However, none of them are obvious one-to-one replacements for Horner. Consequently, Red Bull may opt for a committee approach, distributing power across several figures to avoid creating another all-controlling boss. In short, a Game of Thrones–style council rather than a new king.

However, this could lead to decision paralysis and bureaucratic gridlock, which would not exactly scream ‘future world champions’.

 

Verstappen holds all the cards (again)

It’s an unusual time in Formula 1 when the fate of a team principal is decided not in a boardroom, but in the mind of a 27-year-old Dutchman who has a fondness for blunt honesty and is always sceptical of mediocrity. But that’s where we are.

Verstappen’s position is straightforward: he’s willing to stay at Red Bull, but only if his conditions are met. Those conditions now apparently include demoting or sacking Horner, or rewriting the entire team structure to suit Verstappen’s vision. It’s the ultimate power play, and it’s not just about Red Bull — it’s all about 2026.

That’s when the new engine regulations come into play. Mercedes are expected to make a strong comeback. Audi will also enter the scene. Meanwhile, Red Bull are taking a high-stakes gamble by building their own power unit for the first time in their history. Verstappen, ever the pragmatist, wants guarantees. It seems that Horner no longer qualifies as one.

 

Mercedes waiting in the wings?

Meanwhile, Toto Wolff has been smiling like a man who knows something. Mercedes still haven’t confirmed their 2026 driver line-up. Kimi Antonelli is in the running, but he’s inexperienced and accident-prone. George Russell is still under evaluation. Then there’s Verstappen — the four-time world champion who is reportedly interested and available, and who is reportedly just a few points away from triggering a Red Bull exit clause that would make his departure a formality.

According to Auto, Motor und Sport, if Verstappen drops out of the top three in the standings by the end of July, his contract escape clause activates. He’s currently clinging to third place. Just nine points separate him from Russell in fourth place. With Silverstone and Spa coming up, it’s easy to imagine how those positions could quickly flip — and how quickly Verstappen could find himself signing a Mercedes contract.

The timing is eerily convenient: Verstappen’s deadline: Mercedes’ open seat. Horner’s implosion. Red Bull’s engine uncertainty. It’s almost as if the universe itself is setting up a plot twist for 2026.

 

A team at war with itself

Red Bull has always thrived on controlled chaos, with brash decisions, daring strategies and unapologetic swagger. However, the current state of affairs is more akin to an institutional meltdown than controlled chaos. Verstappen and Horner, who were once inseparable in their pursuit of domination, now appear to be locked in a cold war. The boardroom is running out of patience.

If the Verstappen camp has its way, Christian Horner’s long tenure as Red Bull’s public face could end not with a bang but with a carefully worded press release and an awkward farewell photo. If that happens, Red Bull will have to rebuild from the inside out — just in time for the biggest regulation overhaul in modern Formula 1.

The entire paddock is now waiting for one man to make a decision. Christian Horner’s future. Red Bull’s future. And possibly that of the next F1 world champion. It all hinges on Max Verstappen’s answer to a single question: stay or go?

With Silverstone looming and Russell breathing down his neck, that answer may come sooner than Red Bull would like.