Bernie Ecclestone criticized Christian Horner’s handling of a sexting scandal that ultimately led to his firing from Red Bull after 20 years as team principal. Ecclestone referred to Horner as an “idiot” for his involvement in the scandal and accused him of acting irresponsibly. Despite being cleared of sexual harassment claims, a series of damaging WhatsApp messages tarnished Horner’s reputation within the team and the media.
Ecclestone also suggested that Red Bull executives felt Horner had amassed too much power within the organization, leading to his dismissal. He highlighted a power struggle within the company following the death of Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022. Ecclestone pointed out that Horner’s insistence on being involved in all aspects of the business may have contributed to his downfall and recommended he focus on team management rather than trying to oversee every part of the operation.
