Windsor highlights Horner's critical Red Bull mistake: 'He failed to do that'

14:19, 09 Jul

byNicole Mulder

Former team manager and Formula 1 analyst Peter Windsor says he is not surprised by Christian Horner’s dismissal from Red Bull Racing. According to Windsor, the decision was far from unexpected, especially when viewed in the context of the internal developments and unrest within the team over the past 18 months.

Windsor saw Horner's dismissal coming

Windsor points, among other things, to the departure of top designer Adrian Newey. “I mean, he failed to keep Adrian Newey, which is almost as bad as not signing him," he says on his own YouTube channel.

Additionally, he mentions internal unrest and on-track performance as factors that played a part. “There's a lot of background stuff which hasn't been good, and obviously the performance of the car isn't great, and all the seesawing with a number two driver and where they're going.

"And a few other issues, on track stuff, you know, what happened in the Spanish Grand Prix was just ridiculous."

The fact that the dismissal came as a shock to Horner himself is not doubted by Windsor. “I don't think it's happening on his terms, and to happen this way very suddenly is a very, very big thing."

At the same time, Windsor expresses his appreciation for Horner's career: “I remember all those years ago when he got the job, offered the job, and he took Matt Bishop and I out to lunch, and me actually out to lunch, just to see what we thought about it and how it would go.

"He was quite a sort of, you know, humble and lovely person. And obviously, we tried to give him a bit of advice, inverted commas, and over the years, of course, it's all gelled incredibly well."

Christian Horner leaves Red Bull after 20 years in charge

Reactions to Horner's dismissal

Horner was formally relieved of his duties on Wednesday morning by Red Bull GmbH’s senior management. It was also announced that Laurent Mekies, previously team principal of sister outfit Racing Bulls, will succeed Horner as CEO of Red Bull Racing. Alan Permane will step into Mekies’ former role as team boss at Racing Bulls.

Max Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, has since responded to Horner’s dismissal. Meanwhile, speculation is mounting online, with fans and pundits sharing theories about Verstappen’s future, particularly whether a move to Mercedes could now be on the cards.

Horner had led Red Bull Racing since 2005 and played a key role in building the team into a dominant force in Formula 1, overseeing multiple world championships with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. However, internal tensions and underwhelming results in 2024 once again placed him under pressure.