Zak Brown Remarks on Christian Horner's Dismissal from Red Bull

In a recent interview, Zak Brown, the Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Racing, expressed his lack of surprise regarding the dismissal of Christian Horner from his position as team principal and CEO of Red Bull Racing. This event occurred on July 9, shortly after Red Bull's driver Max Verstappen finished fifth in the British Grand Prix. Brown's comments were aired on Canadian television channel TSN, where he stated, "I'm maybe surprised by the timing, but not the result. There's been a lot of drama there the last couple of years, and it doesn't seem like that drama has been calming down – maybe been getting worse. So I'm not surprised."

Horner, who had been at the helm of Red Bull since its inception in 2005, was replaced by Laurent Mekies, a former team principal for Racing Bulls. Red Bull has not provided a detailed explanation for Horner's dismissal, which follows a tumultuous period marked by internal strife and declining competitiveness.

This internal upheaval began to unfold 17 months prior when allegations of sexual harassment and coercive behavior were made against Horner. Although two separate internal investigations by Red Bull cleared him of these allegations, the controversy contributed to a series of resignations within the team, including the departure of Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey to Aston Martin in April 2022 and Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley to Sauber, which will transition into Audi's factory team next year. Furthermore, Will Courtenay, the head of strategy at Red Bull, has also announced his move to McLaren, although he is currently under contract with Red Bull and will join his new team in the upcoming season.

Despite winning the drivers' championship last season, Verstappen's performance has dipped significantly, with only two wins in his last thirteen races, leading Red Bull to finish third in the constructors' championship. Currently, Verstappen holds third place in the drivers' standings, while Red Bull ranks fourth in the team standings, raising speculation about the possibility of Verstappen moving to Mercedes at the end of the season.

Brown's relationship with Horner has been strained, particularly following accusations related to Red Bull's budget cap breach in 2021. Brown had previously characterized this breach as "constituting cheating." In a more recent interview with BBC Sport, he noted that while he and Horner once maintained a cordial relationship, tensions persist, particularly regarding Red Bull's criticisms of McLaren's car legality.

At the Miami Grand Prix earlier this year, Brown was seen drinking from a bottle labeled "tyre water," a tongue-in-cheek reference to Horner's previous complaints regarding McLaren's tire strategy. Brown dismissed these allegations as unfounded, emphasizing that while teams often accuse one another of rule breaches, there is a formal process for raising such concerns. He stated, "Teams have historically made allegations of other teams – most recently, one team focuses on that strategy more than others. And I think that there is a proper way to protest a team at the end of a race, and you have to make it formal, disclose where it comes from, and put some money down."

The volatile environment within Red Bull raises questions about the future stability and competitive edge of the team as they navigate these challenges. The implications of Horner's departure and the ongoing speculation about Verstappen's future could significantly impact Red Bull Racing's performance and reputation in the Formula 1 landscape.