Zak Brown breaks silence on Christian Horner’s sudden Red Bull exit

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has recently weighed in on the dismissal of Christian Horner from the Red Bull Racing outfit. The 53-year-old American, as reported by motorsports journalist Tim Hauraney, detailed that he wasn’t outright surprised by the dismissal of the Red Bull boss.

Horner, whose sacking was announced days after the conclusion of the Silverstone Grand Prix, had been at the helm of affairs at the Milton Keynes team for over two decades. The 51-year-old Briton, however, saw his team's notable decline in the constructors' standings, particularly in the final months of his stint at Red Bull.

TSN Sports' Tim Hauraney shared a glimpse into his conversation with Zak Brown on X. He wrote:

“Spoke with McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown. I asked him if he was surprised about RBR letting Christian Horner go. He explained that he wasn’t surprised by the result but was surprised by the timing of it. We’ll have more on this later today.”

Watch Tim Hauraney's interaction with Zak Brown below:

Before the commencement of the 2024 season, the British motorsports executive was accused of inappropriate and controlling behaviour by a female employee. His plight was further compounded by a dip in on-track performance by the Red Bull team. The team's performance struggles were worsened by the alleged fallout with Max Verstappen’s camp.

However, despite the controversies that marred the final stretch of Christian Horner’s tenure at Red Bull, he left the Austrian side as one of the most successful team principals in the history of Formula 1, second only to former McLaren boss Ron Dennis in terms of Grand Prix wins.

How Max Verstappen reacted to Christian Horner’s dismissal

Max Verstappen paid tribute to Christian Horner following his dismissal from the Red Bull Racing outfit. The 27-year-old driver took to his X page to pen a heartfelt tribute to the outgoing team boss.

Verstappen, who achieved four world championships under the leadership of the former Red Bull CEO, wrote:

“From my first race win, to four world championships, we have shared incredible successes. Winning memorable races and breaking countless records. Thank you for everything, Christian!”

Max Verstappen made his debut in Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing’s sister outfit, Toro Rosso, in 2015. The Dutch driver would eventually be promoted to the Red Bull outfit in place of Daniil Kvyat during the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix—a race which he would end up winning.

Through the 10 years the pair worked together, Verstappen would achieve several successes, including 65 race victories, 44 pole positions, 117 podium finishes, and, to crown it all, four consecutive world championships.

Following Horner’s dismissal, however, the Red Bull team announced Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies would take over as team boss of the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

Edited by Sumeet Kavthale