Christian Horner has formally ended his two-decade stint with Red Bull, with multiple outlets reporting a settlement in the region of €100m after he was removed from day-to-day duties in July. Red Bull did not disclose financial terms, but Reuters, The Guardian and The Times each reported figures around that mark.
Horner, team principal since Red Bull’s 2005 debut, exits after a decorated period that delivered a stack of drivers’ and constructors’ titles. He said he was proud of the achievements and paid tribute to staff, partners and fans in a parting statement, while Red Bull executives thanked him for his contribution.
French executive Laurent Mekies, formerly at Ferrari and most recently leading Red Bull’s junior outfit, has already taken over as Red Bull’s team principal and chief executive. His appointment was confirmed in July and he has been in post through the summer rounds.
Attention now turns to Horner’s next move. Reports suggest his settlement would allow a return to Formula One in 2026, with speculation linking him to projects under evaluation elsewhere in the paddock. Cadillac, which will join the grid in 2026 and has named its leadership and driver line up, and Alpine have each been mentioned in coverage, though there is no official sign of talks.
Red Bull, meanwhile, remains in title contention under Mekies, with Max Verstappen continuing to collect important results. The team says its focus is firmly on the remainder of the season and on the transition to the 2026 rules package.
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