“The dismissal of Christian Horner as team principal marks the end of a significant chapter in Red Bull’s history, encompassing both successful and challenging moments, with dominant eras led by Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, as well as recent struggles.
The narrative of Horner being irreplaceable and essential to success, presented to Thai shareholders, no longer holds weight in 2025 due to the team’s declining performance.
Red Bull’s drastic decline, from winning nearly every race in 2023 to being out of contention for world titles halfway through 2025, has highlighted operational and developmental shortcomings, particularly compared to McLaren’s progress.
Despite efforts to introduce upgrades and address operational errors, such as pitstop mistakes and strategic miscalculations, Red Bull faces complex and deep-rooted issues that indicate a challenging road ahead for the remainder of the season.
Moving forward, Red Bull must focus on rebuilding its foundation, including the in-house engine project, technical team, team culture, and driver line-up, as the team looks to transition into a new era without the guidance of Horner and with a heightened focus on retaining key assets like Max Verstappen.”
