Helmut Marko did something damning when Christian Horner was making his Red Bull farewell speech

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Christian Horner announced that he was leaving Red Bull in a speech at the factory on Wednesday morning. Given that he himself was surprised, it’s likely that his audience were too.

Horner has been under pressure after Red Bull surrendered their dominant position and slipped to fourth in the pecking order. But there was little indication that he would be sacked imminently.

Red Bull staff were emotional as Horner relayed the news, and he was applauded for several minutes afterwards. He’s held the position for 20 years, overseeing all of Red Bull’s 405 races.

While many within the team clearly had a strong relationship with the boss, he also had his detractors. That means the reaction to his departure won’t be uniform.

Helmut Marko stayed in Racing Bulls factory as Christian Horner said goodbye

According to a report from The Telegraph, Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko was in Milton Keynes when Horner communicated the ownership’s decision. Managing director Oliver Mintzlaff had flown in too.

Damningly, though, it’s said that Marko and Mintzlaff stayed in the Racing Bulls factory as Horner spoke. The sister team have recently opened a HQ next door.

They might have felt that their presence would have been a distraction, but it will inevitably raise questions about the key relationships at the team. The power struggle between Horner and Marko had cooled, but there may have been lasting tension.

Mintzlaff watched Horner get booed by the F1 75 crowd in London in February. That led him to fear that the 51-year-old was causing excessive damage to the team’s image.

Christian Horner started to act like he was bigger than Red Bull

Though many will have formed a bond with Horner, Red Bull’s mechanics faced a ‘leadership void’ in the garage during race weekends. A refresh could be beneficial in that sense.

Horner’s track record is excellent – only ex-McLaren boss Ron Dennis has won more silverware in his position. But after two decades, it’s difficult to prevent a regime becoming stale.

Indeed, Adrian Newey was concerned about Red Bull’s direction when he resigned in spring 2024. Events since have arguably proved him right.

‘Observers’ suggest that Horner started acting like he was bigger than the team, making decisions that were in his own interest. This may have been a response to the threats he faced, but only ended up generating more concerns among senior management.