Red Bull GmbH managing director Oliver Mintzlaff has discussed Christian Horner's exit from the Milton Keynes outfit, claiming that while the Briton has a "great track record", they could not "keep relying on history".
Horner was replaced in his role as Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal on 9 July 2025 by Racing Bulls team chief Laurent Mekies after 20 years with the team.
Red Bull celebrated six constructors' championships and eight drivers' championship titles under Horner's leadership. But the 52-year-old has also faced controversy over allegations of misconduct and inappropriate behaviour from a female colleague, which he strongly denied, and investigations cleared him of any wrongdoing.
"I wouldn’t call it a risk, because we were 100% behind this measure. We knew we had to do something. I’m not a so-called hire-and-fire manager, someone who fires people just like that," Mintzlaff told De Telegraaf.
"Christian has a great track record with the team and has achieved a lot of success. Everyone here in the company, myself included, appreciates him for what he has done. But this is also part of being a professional organisation.
"You can’t keep relying on history and we felt it was time to turn the page and start a new chapter. It wasn’t an easy decision, but we didn’t rush into it either."
Mintzlaff also responded to Dr Helmut Marko's recent comments about Horner. The Austrian claimed that the former team chief did "everything he could to take control of the company" after the death of Dietrich Mateschitz and that Max Verstappen would have been champion in 2025 if Horner had left earlier.
"Those words about Christian are Helmut’s responsibility," Mintzlaff said. "I can’t say anything negative about Christian. Simply because he has meant a lot to Red Bull. But there always comes a time when things aren’t going well and then, as a company, you have to make a decision.
"Are you going to give someone more time, or is it time for a new leader? We felt it was time for a change. I disagree with Helmut’s statements. Yes, it’s logical that things change in an organisation. Perhaps Dr Marko has also changed over the years.
"I think it’s quite normal that not everything is the same as it was five years ago. Christian and Helmut have worked together wonderfully for years, since the start in 2005, so we’re talking about more than 20 years.
"Give me a few examples of other large sports organisations where the leadership team has remained the same for so long. So you can view it very negatively that they are both gone now. But I would say that it is unique that they have been here together for so long and achieved so much. Sometimes you just need a change to shake things up."
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