Christian Horner receives £80m Red Bull F1 payout after brutal axe
Christian Horner is set to land a substantial pay off from Red Bull after being axed as the team's boss earlier this year
Christian Horner is set to pocket a staggering £80million pay-off from Red Bull after being unceremoniously dumped by the Formula 1 team, it has emerged.
The 51-year-old was at the helm of the outfit for two decades before his abrupt dismissal in July.
He was succeeded as team principal and chief executive by Laurent Mekies following the British Grand Prix, but remained on the payroll until a settlement could be negotiated with Austria-based energy drinks giant Red Bull GmbH over his departure, given his long-term contract.
It was revealed last month that the final ties had been severed, with documents submitted to Companies House on Thursday, 14 August, confirming Horner's official termination as a director of all three UK-registered firms linked to the racing team.
And he will be handsomely rewarded for having his contract, which was due to run until 2030, torn up. The Times reports that Horner will receive more than £80m as part of the settlement deal that has been agreed behind closed doors between the two parties.
In line with F1 tradition, Horner will also have to observe a period of gardening leave before he would be permitted to start work with another team.
It is thought he would be allowed to do so midway through next season, should he wish to return to the paddock.
Regardless, it's believed that there are currently limited options for him. Flavio Briatore has publicly dismissed the possibility of him joining Alpine in any role in the near future, while new team Cadillac has shown no interest.
Horner was a mere 31 when he was appointed by Red Bull in 2005 to head up the struggling F1 team they had just acquired. Despite being the youngest team boss in history, he led an extraordinary rise to prominence, resulting in eight drivers' titles – four each for Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen – and six constructors' championship victories.
However, since the death of Red Bull founder and co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz, Horner's relationship with the Austrian bosses has become increasingly tense. Horner was secure as long as he had the support of Thai majority owner Chalerm Yoovidhya, but it appears even he was convinced earlier this year that a change was necessary.
Mekies was promoted from sister team Racing Bulls and seems to have made a quick impact. Over the last two rounds, he has guided Verstappen to consecutive victories in Monza and Baku, with the latter race yielding 33 points in total – Red Bull's best haul of the season so far – as team-mate Yuki Tsunoda finished sixth.
Next year, the team will transform into a works outfit for the first time, constructing their own engines in collaboration with Ford – a project initiated and supervised by Horner until he was relieved of his duties. Mekies could potentially lose his star driver if they fail to make an immediate impact, as Verstappen's manager Raymond Vermeulen issued a warning over the weekend that they would contemplate other options in 2026 if the Dutchman is not provided with a car capable of winning races.