The recent sacking of Christian Horner from Red Bull Racing after over 20 successful years at the helm underscores the increasing influence of football-like dynamics in Formula 1.
Despite Horner’s impressive track record of winning multiple constructors’ championships and drivers’ titles, internal conflicts, personal scandal, and inconsistent on-track performance led to his premature departure.
In the early years of Formula 1, teams were typically owned and managed by individuals whose names were synonymous with the sport, but the landscape has shifted with the rise of corporate ownership and professional management structures.
The trend towards corporate ownership in F1 has brought in a new breed of professional managers who operate within larger reporting structures, with a few exceptions like Toto Wolff, who has a personal stake in Mercedes GP.
History has shown that even iconic team owners like Enzo Ferrari and Ron Dennis were not immune to the consequences of prolonged failure, indicating a broader shift towards corporate influence in the sport.
