Christian Horner breaks silence as £80m Red Bull exit is finally confirmed

Christian Horner looked back on the memories from his successful Red Bull reign as his official departure from the Formula 1 outfit was finally confirmed. The 51-year-old had been in limbo since the days following the British Grand Prix in early July.

He was suddenly sacked as team principal and chief executive after two decades in charge and stripped of his duties with immediate effect, but talks over his departure have dragged on for more than two months. But the details have finally been settled, with an agreement reached that will see Horner receive over £80million for the termination of his contract, which was set to run until 2030.

News of his official exit also came with a fresh statement from Horner, who has largely remained out of the spotlight since losing control of the team. In quotes issued through Red Bull, the Brit was reflective of the success the team enjoyed during his time in charge.

He said: "Leading Red Bull Racing has been an honour and privilege. When we started in 2005, none of us could have imagined the journey ahead – the championships, the races, the people, the memories.

"I am incredibly proud of what we achieved as a team breaking records and reaching heights no-one would ever believe were possible and I will forever carry that with me. However for me my biggest satisfaction has been assembling and leading the most amazing group of talented and driven individuals and seeing them flourish as a subsidiary of an energy drinks company and seeing them take on and beat some of the biggest automotive brands in the world."

Laurent Mekies has stepped in as just the team's second ever chief since Red Bull acquired the outfit in late-2004. He has enjoyed a promising beginning, with Max Verstappen triumphant in his previous two races at the Italian and Azerbaijan Grands Prix.

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Yuki Tsunoda has also elevated his performance and secured sixth place in Baku to assist the squad achieve its strongest points tally of the campaign thus far. But all eyes are on the 2026 season, for which Red Bull are building their own engines for the first time.

Horner said: "I wish Laurent, Max, Yuki and all of the Red Bull Technology Group the very best for the future. I am confident they will, as ever, deliver success on the track, for our fans, and continue to push to the maximum and I look forward to seeing the first Red Bull/Ford engine in the back of RB22 next year as well as the exciting RB17 [hypercar]."

He also took the opportunity to honour Dietrich Mateschitz, the founder and co-owner of the Red Bull enterprise whose death in October 2022 triggered the leadership shifts at the Austria-based parent firm which contributed to Horner's ultimate downfall. He continued: "I would like to thank our incredible sponsors and partners for their unwavering support who have played a key role in all our success. I would like to say a big thank you to the fans for their ongoing belief and without whom there would be no Formula 1.

"Racing aside, I would also like to thank the shareholders, the late Dietrich Mateschitz for the opportunity he gave me as a 31-year-old, [his son] Mark Mateschitz and Saravoot Yoovidhya and finally Chalerm and Daranee Yoovidhya for their friendship and commitment during my time at Red Bull as well as Oliver Mintzlaff and the board for their guidance."