Jeremy Clarkson: Firing Christian Horner means Red Bull could face the fate of Manchester United after Alex Ferguson

Renowned automotive specialist Jeremy Clarkson had a surprising reaction to Christian Horner's dismissal from Red Bull. Comparing the situation, Clarkson put Horner and Red Bull on the same pedestal as Alex Ferguson and Manchester United.

Clarkson's comparison came on the line of how Manchester United, one of the strongest clubs in soccer in the United Kingdom and in the entire world, faced a steep decline in terms of performance. Under Ferguson, one of the most successful coaches in club soccer history, United prospered to a great level, winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and many other trophies.

However, since Ferguson's departure at the end of 2013, Manchester United has been merely a shadow of itself. It's been more than a decade since Sir Alex Ferguson left, but United has failed to return to the top ever since. According to a report by The Sun, Red Bull might face a similar situation and struggle to become a top team in the near future, reckoned Clarkson.

"Christian Horner might re-emerge in a couple of years as an astronaut, or in an ice-cream van or as a Foreign Secretary. And Red Bull? "Well, look what happened to Man United when Ferguson was no longer at the helm. On that basis, this once-great team may well end up, in a couple of years, in Formula 4," he wrote.

In the last few years, Red Bull Racing has been enormously successful and dominant, especially in 2023 when they won 21 out of 22 races. However, their performance level began to dip around mid-2024 when rivals began to catch up. Coming into 2025, they have become the fourth fastest team on the grid.

In a way, Red Bull's constant downward spiral didn't seem to end, and it became one of the reasons behind Christian Horner's dismissal from the Austrian team.

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Christian Horner let his feelings be known about shocking dismissal

Christian Horner shared his thoughts after Red Bull surprisingly sacked him. Speaking to the team at their base in Milton Keynes, the British boss said:

"The decision came as a shock to myself. I have had a chance to reflect over the last 12 hours and I wanted to stand in front of all of you to break this news, and just express my gratitude to each and every single member of the team that has given so much during the 20 and a half years that I have been here."

Christian Horner arrived at Red Bull in 2005, the same year that Red Bull GmbH bought Jaguar and rebranded it. He guided his team to win eight Drivers' Championships and six Constructors' Titles. Laurent Mekies, former Racing Bulls boss, has replaced him with immediate effect.

Edited by Hitesh Nigam