Red Bull set to make key decision after Christian Horner sacking that Cadillac F1 must benefit from

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Red Bull Racing are quickly adapting to life without Christian Horner as their team principal.

The Belgian Grand Prix saw Max Verstappen win the 12th Sprint Race of his Formula 1 career.

All it took was one brilliant run on the opening lap for Verstappen to guide his Red Bull past Oscar Piastri before putting in 15 incredible laps to hold off both McLarens.

Sunday’s race wasn’t quite as successful for Red Bull, with Verstappen unable to find a way past Charles Leclerc and Yuki Tsunoda once again missing out on scoring points.

F1 fans accused Red Bull of ruining Tsunoda’s race by calling him in too late for a pit stop to change onto slick tyres, something new principal Laurent Mekies admitted was a mistake.

Mekies will have taken plenty of positives from his first race weekend in charge of Red Bull since Christian Horner’s exit.

Horner and Red Bull were almost interchangeable in the F1 paddock, given his 20-year association with the team.

Now, the people in charge of the team’s operations in Austria are planning major changes behind the scenes, and Formula 1’s newest team, Cadillac, must benefit from them.

READ MORE: All to know about sacked Red Bull team principal Christian Horner with net worth

Red Bull planning ‘leaner’ workforce as Cadillac aim to rapidly grow staff numbers

A report from Motorsport has shared more details about the plans being put in place by Red Bull after Horner’s exit.

Red Bull’s main headquarters are just outside Salzburg in Austria, but the Formula 1 team are managed from a state-of-the-art facility in Milton Keynes.

It’s believed that the Austrian owners of Red Bull want greater control of the F1 operation, with Helmut Marko likely to play a key role in this.

Red Bull chiefs believe that the team can achieve the same results they’re currently getting with ‘leaner staffing’ numbers.

Cadillac have the unenviable task of trying to build a competitive Formula 1 car before the 2026 Australian Grand Prix.

Team principal Graeme Lowdon recognises that hiring staff rather than drivers is the priority, although Cadillac are set to miss their staffing targets for the end of the year.

It therefore makes sense for the American outfit to try and lure anyone let go by Red Bull to their Silverstone base, particularly as Cadillac are said to be paying very well to attract the best people from up and down the paddock.

Horner has been linked with joining Cadillac, although whether he has the appetite to agree to work for the newest team on the grid again is yet to be seen.

But, if Cadillac do start targeting anyone let go by Red Bull, Horner would know immediately whether they’re worth bringing in.

READ MORE: All to know about General Motors’ Cadillac F1 team from engine to drivers

Helmut Marko says Red Bull are ‘reviewing everything’ after Christian Horner exit

Marko was asked, via Motorsport, about whether Verstappen’s camp had anything to do with Horner’s dismissal and said: “There is no Verstappen faction, no Austrian or Thai faction. The entire company operates in harmony. Otherwise, the kind of success we’ve had – both commercially and on track – wouldn’t be possible.”

Paddock insiders suggest that Horner oversaw ‘unchecked growth’ within Red Bull, which explains why they’re keen to move some staff on.

“We are reviewing everything to achieve maximum efficiency,” Marko said about Red Bull’s ambitions, before continuing: “And of course, the scope of Horner’s responsibilities was… or rather, he controlled everything and was involved in every detail.

“Naturally, that created areas where performance suffered.

“That’s why the focus now is on having a trained engineer in this position, with a strong emphasis on the race team.”

The pressure is on Mekies to fill the hole left by Horner’s leaving, and his most pressing concern will be helping Red Bull return to the top of both championships.

However, once the dust has settled and people within the team are let go, Cadillac might have an unexpected opportunity to pounce.