Since 2017, the FIA had been sucking up to auto manufacturers in an effort to engage them in Formula One. Porsche were an early OEM identified as a prospect and joined the FIA power unit working party in 2018 with a view to agree new powertrain designs to be introduced in 2020.
The initial proposals from F1’s governing body was to introduce simpler, more cost effective power units and to promote new entries whilst addressing some of the criticisms of the 2014 turbo hybrids.
Porsche were keen to introduce four wheel drive with the front and rear axles driven by independent MGU-K units – as opposed to independent drive shafts – similar to the system they had developed for the 919 hybrid race car.
Porsche ‘too corporate’ says Horner
Yet the working party was racked with disagreements and by 2020 no agreed architecture could be found. Come 2021 the FIA frustrated by the protracted process decided the current manufacturers would be given one last season to modify their current designs before they would be frozen until 2026.
By 2022, there was a broad agreement over the new power unit designs and Porsche entered negotiations with an ambitious plan to invest in the Red Bull Racing operations with a view to decision making being split 50/50 between the parties. Christian Horner was firmly opposed to this plan which had allegedly been fronted by Austrian Red Bull director Oliver Mintzlaff, who had reported to have been drafted in to assist with the deal due to the serious ill health of Red Bull founder Didi Mateschitz.
Yet fearing Porsche’s corporate interference, Christian Horner announced the deal dead in September of 2022. “Porsche is a great brand. But the DNA is quite different. During the discussion process it became clear that there was a strategic non-alignment.”
Horner’s comments and private briefings revealed his concerns over corporate interference from the German auto manufacturer and he concluded as originally planed eighteen months earlier, Red Bull would build their own power units for the upcoming era. But behind the scenes Mintzlaff was said to be furious but with Mateschitz dying the following month there would have been little he could do.
Horner huge contract extension
Yet the seeds were sown for an internal struggle between the pair that would finally see Formula One’s second most successful team principal sacked this year following the British Grand Prix. The year following the collapse of the Porsche deal, Red Bull Racing were to enjoy the most dominant season ever seen in the sport, winning 21 of the 22 Grand Prix and with Verstappen taking the title six weekends from the end of the season.
Horner was awarded a contract extension until the end of 2030 reported to be worth some $20m a year which included control over the Red Bull Racing’s commercial arrangements, something Mintzlaff was apparently opposed to. Yet Horner could now walk on water in the Red Bull empire and he retained absolute control over all matters F1.
Yet early in 2024 the Red Bull Racing boss was accused by a female employee over ‘cohesive behaviour’ but despite him being exonerated by an independent Kings Counsel, two anonymous email accounts sent links to documents alleged to have been part of the investigation to over 100 F1 paddock senior figures.
A number of veteran F1 writers interpreted some of the screen shots of conversations between Horner and the female as a Honey Trap, and a second investigation subsequently found again Horner to be innocent of all allegations.
Red Bull upgrades fail
But the die was cast. While the scandal raged on in the F1 news pages, McLaren brought a key upgrade to Miami which was to revolutionise the performance of their car. Meanwhile Red Bull’s upgrades saw the performance of the RB20 suffer as evidenced by the performance of Sergio Perez.
By Imola the Mexican driver had accrued 103 points including four podiums in the first five race weekends. Such was the negative effect of the Imola upgrade, Checo would claim just 48 more points across the remaining eighteen race weekends of the 2024 season. As is always the case in sport, speculations over why Red Bull had dropped the ball were in abundance, one proposed was the distraction the Horner scandal had on the team’s focus.
In April Adrian Newey announced he was leaving the team initially to retire, although within weeks it became clear he’d been offered equity and a partnership role with the Aston Martin team. Again speculation was rife his departure was due to the rumours swirling around the Red Bull team boss.
F1 analysts put two and two together coming up with nine as the Red Bull performance failures coincided with Newey’s departure. Yet the F1 car designer had been working part time as a consultant to the Milton Keynes design team since he relinquished his role as technical director back in 2018.
Verstappen departure rumours
The RB21 for 2025 was also a disappointment, as McLaren continued in rampant form. Come the European F1 season Toto Wolff stoked the fires of speculation that he was actively seeking to recruit Max Verstappen to his Mercedes team. The world champion refused to stay absolutely he would remain with Red Bull beyond this season, something he finally confirmed following Horner’s departure.
This appeared to be the final nail in the coffin for Horner who was dismissed with no explanation following the British Grand Prix. The sands had shifted in the Austrian parent company given the Thai majority shareholder had previously refused to countenance Horner’s departure.
The Austrian directors which include Mintzlaff and Mateschitz son announced all PR and team announcements would now be made from the head offices in Saltzberg. Whilst the battle to partner Porsche was lost by the Austrians and Red Bull will now produce their own powertrains from 2026 onwards, there appears to be solid evidence it was this which sealed the fate of one of F1’s greatest ever team bosses.
Briatore drops bombshell in Baku
Aston Martin favourite for Horner
Now with his settlement complete, speculation is rife as to where Christian Horner will pop up next. Some suggest Alpine and an equity stake, yet for the same reasons of corporate interference this time by Renault its unlikely Horner will subjugate himself to that – which similarly applies to Audi.
Cadillac have publicly ruled out the ex-Red Bull boss and Ferrari have recently extended Fred Vasseur’s contract. It seems possible Horner’s next foray into F1 could be facilitated by another billionaire, Lawrence Stroll.
Joining Aston Martin would be logical for all parties concerned. Stroll has proven he is content to offer equity deals to his most senior of co-directors, something Horner is reportedly keen on. The alleged rift between Newey and the ex-Red Bull boss is a matter of fiction, with Adrian Newey knowing how his friend took one failed British racing marque from ashes of Jaguar and transformed it into a world beating F1 racing team.
Norris slammed by Schumacher as Verstappen title hopes return
The Formula One paddock has turned its attention from the streets of Baku to the demanding challenge of Singapore. Red Bull arrive on the back of two consecutive victories, which have reignited hopes of a late-season surge. Max Verstappen’s victories have reduced his deficit in the Drivers’ Championship to 69 points and boosted morale within the Milton Keynes team.
Yet the optimism is tempered. While team advisor Helmut Marko has spoken enthusiastically about the upswing, team principal Laurent Mekies has urged caution. The Frenchman insists that Red Bull will continue to take each race as it comes, rather than focusing on the points table. “We are really taking it race by race and not looking at the standings,” he explained….. READ MORE
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