How Sebastian Vettel reacted to Red Bull sacking Christian Horner as F1 team principal

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Sebastian Vettel won his four Formula 1 championships with Christian Horner at Red Bull, but the team is now much different in 2025 than it was in the 2010s.

Red Bull sacked Horner after the British GP back in July. The decision, while there was no official reason given, came as the team regressed in performance, as well as drama behind the scenes with top management.

Horner had a power struggle with Helmut Marko and fell out with the Thai side of Red Bull’s ownership, his biggest allies. Ultimately, he was dismissed as team principal after the race at Silverstone and was relieved of all duties in September.

Horner received an £80m payout to leave his contract early, which expires in 2030. He is now free to return to the paddock as early as 2026, with the 51-year-old believed to be interested in an ownership role with another F1 team.

Sebastian Vettel was ‘surprised’ that Red Bull decided to sack Christian Horner

While Max Verstappen is having fun again at Red Bull since Horner’s departure, according to his father Jos, Vettel admitted he was ”surprised’ by the team’s decision to part ways with the Brit. The German won four drivers’ and constructors’ titles with Horner at the helm.

Asked how he reacted to Horner’s sacking, Vettel told Sky Sports F1 (09/11, 3:56 pm): “Surprised. I mean, Christian has been there for so long, since the very beginning and knows this team inside out.

“I think for this year, everything was in place. I know Laurent as well, the success, and I worked with him and he’s a really, really great person.

“But I think Christian left some big footsteps, not just because of all the success he’s had with the team, but also I think he was such a central part of the team. He knew what was going on and so on.

“I’m not completely aware of the organisation, the structure, and especially the plan for the future. But that’s where I think it’s valid to say, let’s wait and see how it turns out.”

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

How does Sebastian Vettel see the 2025 Formula 1 season playing out?

Vettel called time on his F1 career at the end of the 2022 season. While he is no longer associated with the sport in a racing or operational sense, he still keeps up to date with all the goings on in the paddock.

The German was present at the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend and has given his verdict on the 2025 championship. Vettel thinks Lando Norris is the ‘favourite’ for the title – the Brit leads McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by 24 points after his win in Sao Paulo.

The Brit has been on an incredible run of form in recent races, having secured back-to-back wins this weekend. Norris was utterly dominant in Brazil, with pole position and the win in the Sprint and the main race.

Meanwhile, his teammate is starting to slip back, crashing out in the Sprint and finishing fifth on Sunday after a 10-second penalty for a collision with Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc. Vettel says Piastri needs peace and quiet to stay in the title hunt, having come under immense pressure recently.