£38bn F1 manufacturer could pick off unhappy Red Bull staff as Christian Horner sacking leaves them ‘vulnerable’

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Red Bull’s decision to fire Christian Horner halfway through the Formula 1 season has generated an internal backlash. This has largely been kept private, but Laurent Mekies and those above him need to address the discontent.

It’s perhaps inevitable that many in the team feel a lasting loyalty to Horner. He was by far the longest-serving team principal on the grid (20 years), and he helped them win 124 races in that time.

Some Red Bull staff feel Horner deserved better, not necessarily in terms of keeping his job, but at least being given a reason for losing it. The ownership haven’t explained the move publicly or privately.

A report this week suggested Red Bull could face an exodus if Horner starts working for a rival team. There are numerous employees who would love to reunite with the 51-year-old.

Christian Horner sacking leaves Red Bull ‘vulnerable’ to Cadillac recruitment drive

The biggest beneficiaries of the unhappiness at Red Bull could be new team Cadillac. The Americans, backed by £38bn powerhouse General Motors, are making their F1 debut in March.

Graeme Lowdon’s squad are continuing their recruitment drive, and The Times say Red Bull now ‘vulnerable’ to their advances. Horner had boasted about how many staff he’d poached from Mercedes for the team’s new powertrains division.

The publication has spoken to staff members, who are praising Horner ‘in their droves’ for his leadership. One described him as ’empowering’ and ‘supportive’.

Helmut Marko’s factory address after Horner’s exit, in which he urged staff to all work 10% harder, didn’t go down well. For Cadillac, this could be the moment to strike.

Could Christian Horner end up working for Cadillac himself?

Cadillac have already filled the key positions, with Lowdon, technical director Nick Chester and veteran engineer Pat Symonds among their hires. But they still need to fill out their ranks.

Indeed, that may be part of the reason why they’ve taken so long to finalise their driver line-up.

• READ MORE: Cadillac have finally chosen the two drivers they want for the 2026 Formula 1 season

Strengthening the possibility of an influx from Red Bull, Horner has been linked with Cadillac this week. It’s unclear what the role would look like, given that Lowdon was only appointed in December, but various reports have suggested that Horner would prefer to be a shareholder rather than a team principal.

Other options are starting to emerge too. Horner has even been linked with Haas, on the proviso that they’re sold to Toyota, and Alpine could also be in his mind.