Was Christian Horner Fired? Why He Was ‘Released’ From Red Bull
After 20 years, Horner was 'released' from the Red Bull racing team and was replaced by Laurent Mekies.
UsenB
Christian Horner was apparently fired by the Red Bull Racing Formula One team amid the 2025 racing season. More than a year after his workplace scandal came to light, Christian’s now-former team replaced him with Laurent Mekies.
“We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years,” CEO Corporate Projects and Investments, Oliver Mintzlaff, said in a statement. “With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1. Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history.”
Below, find out what we know about Christian’s exit from Red Bull, his career and more.
Who Is Christian Horner?
Christian is the now-former CEO and team manager of Red Bull Racing Formula One. He held the position for 20 years after taking it on in 2005. Before becoming the team’s manager, the U.K. native was a race car driver.
Throughout the 1990s, Christian competed in multiple races, from Formula Three and Two and more. When he was brought onto the Red Bull management squad, Christian was the youngest of the pack. The team went on to reach success under Christian’s leadership.
Was Christian Horner Fired by Red Bull?
It certainly looks like the Red Bull team fired Christian. On July 9, 2025, the team announced that they had “released” Christian, and he hadn’t provided a public statement of his own.
“Red Bull has released Christian Horner from his operational duties with effect from today (Wednesday 9 July 2025) and has appointed Laurent Mekies as CEO of Red Bull Racing,” a spokesperson for Red Bull said. “Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO Corporate Projects and Investments thanked Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years.”
Why Was Christian Horner Fired by Red Bull?
Though Red Bull didn’t mention a scandal in its separation from Christian, the team’s previous investigation into his actions raised eyebrows. In February 2024, Christian was accused of acting inappropriately around a colleague. The identity of the employee has not been identified.
At the time, alleged WhatsApp messages were leaked to members of the F1 community via Google Drive, according to CNN. The authenticity of the messages were never verified, though, and the Red Bull team did not comment on the matter further.
Christian was subsequently cleared by Red Bull of any wrongdoing.
Christian Horner’s Wife Is a Spice Girl
Christian has been married to his wife, Geri Halliwell — a.k.a Ginger Spice — since 2015. The couple share a son together, and Christian is also a father to a daughter, whom he shares with ex Beverley Allen.
What Is Christian Horner’s Net Worth Now?
Christian has a net worth of about $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, so if his Red Bull exit means his retirement, he should still have a decent lifestyle.
