Christian Horner once revealed Red Bull’s ‘most significant’ F1 signing and it’s not Max Verstappen

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Red Bull’s Formula 1 dynasty is one that stretches more than 15 years since winning their first championship with Sebastian Vettel in 2010.

Back then, the team were led by ex-boss Christian Horner, who was still relatively new to the paddock at the time. Few expected them to win that season, but they left not only as drivers’ champions, but with a constructors’ championship to show for their efforts too.

Ever since that year, Red Bull have been a regular contender for victories and titles, being the only team in Formula 1 history to have produced two four-time champions under their guidance. Their success isn’t all down to one individual, but there are a few who made their dreams possible.

Although Helmut Marko created a ‘mess’ for Red Bull, they still found a way to get back into contention without being powered by Renault towards the back end of the 2010s. Even Vettel once declared Formula 1 was ‘not for me’ before charging to success, and they’re now regarded as one of the greatest teams.

READ MORE: He was once the youngest F1 driver of all time but suffered ‘trauma’ after working with Helmut Marko

Christian Horner once called Adrian Newey Red Bull’s ‘most significant’ F1 signing before Max Verstappen

Not everything has been easy to manage at Red Bull through the years, and the road to success has been tough. David Coulthard fell out with Horner over some team orders back in 2007, but they soon made amends for the situation.

Even though drivers are a massive part of winning, there are other individuals, like Horner, who have played an equal role in forming the championship-winning team. One man in particular is Adrian Newey, who Horner singled out on an episode of Beyond The Grid in 2018, before knowing that Max Verstappen would achieve.

“I think he’s the most significant one, absolutely, because his credentials speak for themselves, and I think that, I could tell that Adrian was frustrated in the environment that he was in the time at McLaren,” he said.

“I think the opportunity at Red Bull just provided a new lease of life for him. Freedom, without the constraints or corporate restrictions that would’ve been put in place on him, that McLaren had become.”

READ MORE: Christian Horner will never ‘work in F1 again’ after Red Bull exit if Juan Pablo Montoya’s theory is correct

Why Red Bull have struggled since Adrian Newey’s departure in 2024

Now that Newey works with the rival Aston Martin team, it’s easier to see how much of a role he played in Red Bull’s success. Since he stopped contributing to their car, they have fallen down the order and are no longer in contention for titles.

That isn’t to say that other individuals leaving the team hasn’t had an effect, but it shows just how much of a Formula 1 genius he can be. If anything, it should scare his rivals even more heading into the 2026 F1 regulations.

Lewis Hamilton will love Newey’s 2026 prediction that the championship might be about to become an engine-based formula, and it’s something that Red Bull, who are about to introduce their own power units for the first time ever, might fear.