Christian Horner says Verstappen’s camp was not behind my exit from Red Bull

Horner, who joined the team in 2005, has led Red Bull to eight Drivers’ Championships and six Constructors’ Championships.

He was fired after a controversial 18-month stint that began when a female employee accused him of sexual harassment, an allegation that went public in February 2024.

He was acquitted twice of these allegations, first after an internal investigation by a lawyer, and then by another lawyer who rejected the complainant’s appeal.

The Briton left by paying £52m but said he felt a “real sense of loss”, blaming Red Bull director Oliver Mintzlaff and Red Bull advisor Marco Helmuth for his exit.

“It was kind of sudden. I didn’t really get a chance to say a proper goodbye,” he said.

“I think this was the decision taken by Oliver Mintzlaff with advice from Helmut from the sideline.

“I think things eventually changed within the company, within the group. The founder died, and then Dietrich [Mateschitz]“After he died, I think I would probably have a lot of control.”