Red Bull Replaces Christian Horner with Laurent Mekies as Team Principal

Christian Horner was unexpectedly dismissed from his roles as Red Bull Racing team principal and chief executive shortly after the 2025 British Grand Prix, marking the first time in the team's 21-year history without him at the helm. Horner's departure followed a turbulent period marked by internal drama, including allegations of misconduct from which he was cleared, and the loss of key personnel like Adrian Newey, which contributed to a perception of instability within the team. Laurent Mekies, promoted from Red Bull's junior team, has taken over with just two weeks to prepare for his first race, facing the critical task of managing Max Verstappen's uncertain future amid persistent rumors of a move to Mercedes. Carlos Sainz expressed confusion over Red Bull's decision not to sign him alongside Verstappen for 2025, suggesting he had a good relationship with Verstappen and could have been a strong teammate, contrasting with the struggles and eventual replacements of Sergio Perez and Liam Lawson. Meanwhile, McLaren has emerged as the dominant team this season, with drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri leading the championship, while Mercedes’ George Russell acknowledges they are not competitive enough to challenge McLaren this year but hopes for improvement next season. This shift in competitive dynamics adds pressure on Red Bull under Mekies to stabilize and rebuild in the face of internal challenges and Verstappen's wavering commitment.