Christian Horner: Red Bull F1 team principal sacked after 20 years in charge of Milton Keynes outfit

This is a surprising development. The usual path for being pushed out of RB is to be name the 2nd seat driver for the team before being sacked.

If Mekies doesn't perform as well as he has been in RB, they should make Tsunoda CEO for a few races to get a comparison.
Red Bull gives you wings, right out the door…

Looks like speculation's back on the menu, boys!

Due to...

more legal challenges incoming?
worse performance for the past year?
an attempt to halt the brain drain from Red Bull?
Max wanted him out, and they're now complying what with Merc courting him so hard?
Red Bull lost Max to Merc, and Red Bull high ups are unhappy with Horner over it?
their engines for next season aren't looking good?
a combination of factors above?

Tbh I don't think it'd be down to performance alone. Red Bull has had down periods multiple times in the past 20 years.

When they've been down it was before Mateschitz passed. What he said was the law and he had the people he wanted in the positions he wanted. After that there were many factions fighting and trying to make the others look bad. Cue Horniers txt messages, Max's team threatening to leave, Marko looking like he'd be fired, and Newey leaving for money when he didn't get his way. The smart technical folks saw the infighting and jumped ship to teams where they could step up in their career
Waiting for Red Bull to release a statement via an attachment named File-76.JPG.

First guess is sexual assault allegations have been proofed?

Or that the owners are fed up with the car being bad, and scared max might leave and they would be the worst team on the grid.
- Yeah the owners were happy to look past it while they were getting results
- They would have probably given him a reason if he was sacked for team performance.
  Fired immediately without reason given sounds like something major.
I think Red Bull knew the allegations were true all this time but now with the teams shitty performance they probably felt like it was a good time to give him the boot.
No proof has been found that he was guilty, according to the court records. So unless new proof shows up from somewhere, this most likely isn't the case. It could be that RBR was keeping some proof away from the court case, which could be illegal, but that they now display it.
Personally, I am a bit careful with the accusations, since it wouldn't be the first time that somebody lied to get somebody else convicted for something. Women are always believed in cases like this, even when they lie about them abusing their male partner or whatever.
Or that first set was the tip of the iceberg and they're getting ahead of it?
Baseless speculation

I foresee Red Bull getting worse

Watch him show up at Aston with his mate newey
- Can't really find a source anymore. But wasn't part of the explanation for Newry leaving that he was good friends with Horner's former assistant? Though I guess this could have been unsubstantiated rumours.
- Newey was reportedly pissed off about the whole sexual harassment thing.
- I don't really see it. AM isn't in a good spot and it's very unlikely they'll suddenly become a top team next year. Newey can do his magic but it's not going to fix the rest of the team.
  Max isn't going to waste his time in some midfield team, he's going to a top team or he's taking a sabbatical.

I think there are only two possibilities:

he lost Max
they did this to keep Max

Either way, this increases the chances that Max is going to Mercedes

Or the relationship between Helmut Marko and him have reached the inevitable boiling point. It is either Marko out or Horner. And Max is loyal to Marko not Horner or Red Bull. If they lose Marko they will automatically lose Max as well.

What the fuck.

Exactly my reaction. I know things were a bit turbulent last year, but I wasn't expecting this right now!
- After collecting my thoughts I'm thinking this tells us Red Bull are seriously worried about Max leaving and are trying to take desperate measures. It could be related to the sexual assault allegations but the timing seems off with that and I'm pretty sure they knew they were true all along.

BBC link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/cn5k6y1xyl3o

Autosport: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/christian-horner-sacked-as-red-bull-f1-team-boss/10740708/

The Race: https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/our-verdict-christian-horner-red-bull-f1-exit-shock/

Good timeline in case you need the background: https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/christian-horner-allegations-messages-red-bull-timeline-b2785446.html

Well damn, didn't think I'd see the day especially mid season. Guessing this will be initially bad for red bull, but longer term probably the right call.

According to a quote from Sky Sports, Horner is still employed by Red Bull, I guess he's been put on gardening leave?

Yesterday, I was informed by Red Bull that operationally I would no longer be involved with the business or the team moving forward.
I will still remain employed by the company, but, operationally the baton will be handed over.

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13394618/christian-horner-former-red-bull-team-principal-says-sacking-came-as-a-shock-in-tearful-farewell-speech

Yeah they probably can't terminate his contract immediately without some legal trouble or huge payout. So he'll be on their payroll for a while longer but not involved anymore.

Wow. I wondered if a team principal change was on the cards for the future but a mid season sacking wasn't on my radar. Makes me wonder- is he the first domino to fall in a Red Bull Racing makeover?

I think that was last year when they lost Newey!

Perhaps the rumors of him leading the Ferrari team is true 🤔

Bwahaha, I'd hear the wailing in Italy from here in New Zealand
- When all is said and done, Christian will be managing Hamilton while Toto will be managing Verstappen 😆