Horner sacked: What does it mean for Red Bull, Verstappen?

It's the end of an era at Red Bull. Wednesday's dismissal of Christian Horner, the longest-tenured team principal in Formula 1, will have major ramifications for the future of both the team and superstar driver Max Verstappen.

Here are the top questions surrounding Horner's sacking.

Why now?

Though the timing of the move may seem surprising, arguably the only better moment for Red Bull to fire Horner was anytime between the start of the 2024 season and today. And his dismissal isn't completely unexpected, even though Red Bull's parent company stood by him in 2024 during an investigation for alleged inappropriate conduct. Alongside the investigation, an internal power struggle between Horner and senior adviser Helmut Marko fractured the outfit. Red Bull's car performance then cratered while bright minds and significant contributors such as Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley departed.

For the better part of two decades, Horner accomplished the unthinkable: taking the reins of an F1 team based around promoting an energy drink and not only winning, but dominating manufacturing giants. Since 2024, though, his unit has looked more like a marketing exercise trying to dress up as a functional racing operation. While the dominance that won 21 of 22 races in 2023 wasn't realistically sustainable, Red Bull's current form is nearly unrecognizable. World-record pit stops are relics of the past, the second drivers are laughingstocks, the car eats through its tires, and balance issues leave Verstappen looking superhuman one day and mortal the next.

Now, with nearly three weeks until the next grand prix and just under a month until the summer break, Red Bull can focus on its next objective: keeping its top driver and golden goose.

This means Verstappen is staying, right?

Maybe. Horner's termination could mean Verstappen's camp got its way in return for assurances that the driver will remain at Red Bull. The world champion has appeared to have one foot out the door lately as interest between his representation and Mercedes reignited.

However, there's a real possibility Red Bull punted Horner because it's losing grip on Verstappen and wanted to make a last-ditch attempt to woo him. Between the team's downward trajectory, soft expectations for its in-house 2026 engine, and the brain drain of all the technical departures, shipping out Horner might be too little, too late - even if Red Bull offers Verstappen the world.

What does Red Bull's future look like?

New team principal and CEO Laurent Mekies now steps in to oversee the Red Bull empire. The French engineer, who's previously worked for Racing Bulls, Ferrari, and the FIA, faces a monumental cleanup job. His biggest task is building a relationship with Verstappen, but he also needs to create stability in an organizational environment that may be on the verge of collapse.

Horner's removal provokes questions about Red Bull's plans for 2026 and beyond. Following Honda's initial plans to exit F1 after 2021, Horner was credited as a major influence in Red Bull's decision to build an internal combustion engine at its factory and later partner with Ford on the engine project for 2026. While Red Bull's engine isn't expected to be a front-runner next year, how will the relationship with Ford develop without Horner's involvement? In his absence, is Red Bull more likely to quickly pull the plug on the engine program if it disappoints rather than give it more time and funding? Either way, the behemoth of the current ground-effect rules seems to be approaching a painful rebuild.

Is this the end of Horner?

Horner may not be sidelined for long. While the end of his Red Bull stint will be remembered for its many disasters, there's no denying the titan he built from the ground up. Since Red Bull joined the grid in 2005, it's won more races and drivers' championships than any other constructor, even though its operations initially paled in comparison to the historic gatekeepers of the sport.

As for Horner's next employer, Ferrari feels like the best guess. The Scuderia has been rumored to have interest for many years, and current team principal Fred Vasseur's contract expires at the end of 2025. Horner and Lewis Hamilton joining forces in Ferrari red? Stranger things have happened.