Christian Horner doesn’t believe Max or Jos Verstappen were “responsible in any way” for his Red Bull exit, but says that his former colleague Helmut Marko played a key role in the shock sacking.
Horner was dismissed as Red Bull team principal and chief executive in July last year despite having been hugely successful in running the team since its entry to Formula 1 in 2005.
Breaking his silence on the circumstances behind his exit in the latest series of Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive, which is released on Friday, Horner said: “I feel a real sense of loss and hurt. It was all rather sudden. I didn’t really get the chance to say a proper goodbye.
“I never imagined to be in this position. Of course, your immediate reaction when you’re delivered a s*** sandwich like that is to say ‘**** them’. I’ve had something taken away from me that wasn’t my choice that was very precious to me.”
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Christian Horner met with the president of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, for ‘a chat between friends’ amid speculation around the former Red Bull boss returning to F1.
Many believed that the camp of Verstappen, who won four successive drivers’ titles under Horner’s leadership from 2021-2024, had played a role in the Brit’s exit.
But the 52-year-old insists he was ultimately ousted after a power struggle at Red Bull following the death of team owner and founder Dietrich Mateschitz in October 2022.
“His father has never been my biggest fan. He’s been outspoken about me. But I don’t believe the Verstappens were responsible in any way. I think this was a decision that was made by Oliver Mintzlaff with Helmut advising from the side-line.
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Max Verstappen’s father Jos Verstappen insists he’s ‘fine’ with Christian Horner’s departure from Red Bull.
“I think ultimately things changed within the business, within the group. The founder died, and after Dietrich [Mateschitz]’s death, I think probably I was deemed to have maybe too much control.”
Marko was Mateschitz’s trusted motorsport advisor and worked closely with Horner for many years, but also found himself ousted by Red Bull just months after the Brit at the end of the 2025 season.
Horner reveals touching Wolff farewell
Horner’s main rival in the pit lane during his tenure was Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, with the pair regularly exchanging in wars of words through the media as the drivers fought for victories.
This was never more tense than when Verstappen beat Hamilton to the 2021 drivers’ title in perhaps the most intense championship duel in the sport’s history.
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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff discusses Christian Horner’s sacking from Red Bull.
Despite their feuding, Horner revealed to the Drive to Survive cameras a touching message that Wolff had sent him following his dismissal.
It read: “I didn’t know what to say, because on one side you’ve been a real a**hole. But on the other hand, the sport will miss one of its main protagonists.
“Who should I fight? And ‘love to hate’, as you always said? Wolff and Horner have a combined 14 of the last 15 world championships. Not a bad joint statistic.”
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Relive the highs and lows Christian Horner’s time as Red Bull team principal, with the Brit having recently been relieved of his position.
Horner also read out his reply, which said: “I’ve loved locking horns with you all these years. So thank you for the rivalry, the competition and the needle. No one else even came close, as the statistics point out. I wish you the very best for the future. PS, you need a haircut.”
All eight episodes of Formula 1: Drive to Survive are available on Netflix from Friday, February 27. Sky customers can access Netflix via Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream.
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