Helmut Marko has broken his silence over Red Bull’s decision to sack Christian Horner, revealing it was the consequence of “various factors.”

Horner was axed by Red Bull in a bombshell announcement two weeks ago as Red Bull GmbH higher-ups called time on his 20-year tenure with the Formula 1 team.

Helmut Marko discloses ‘factors’ in Christian Horner’s sacking

Summoned to a meeting in London two days after the British Grand Prix, the long-serving team principal was informed that he had been released from his operational duties with immediate effect.

Red Bull’s brief statement read: “Red Bull has released Christian Horner from his operational duties with effect from today (9 July 2025) and has appointed Laurent Mekies as CEO of Red Bull Racing.”

Horner’s sacking came after 18 tension-filled months at Red Bull as an investigation into the Briton’s alleged behaviour towards a staff member coincided with the team’s competitive edge being blunted.

Horner was cleared of wrongdoing, but the allegations saw Max Verstappen’s father Jos publicly call for the 51-year-old to step down, telling the Daily Mail: “The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems.”

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Amid the ongoing tension, Red Bull lost key personnel to rival teams, with design guru Adrian Newey joining Aston Martin while sporting director Jonathan Wheatley left for Sauber.

The team’s on-track results also dropped off. Having won both championships in 2023, including a one-two in the Drivers’ standings, Red Bull lost the F1 2024 Constructors’ title to McLaren, and this season Max Verstappen could be dethroned as World Champion by either of the McLaren team-mates.

It was, however, the latter that Marko says “above all” was the reason for Horner’s sacking.

Publicly speaking about Horner’s exit for the first time, the Red Bull motorsport advisor disclosed key details to Sky Deutschland.

“The decision was made by Oliver Mintzlaff,” he said.

“We informed Christian Horner of this on Tuesday in London after the Silverstone race, at the same time officially thanking him for these 20 years and for these eight World Championship titles.

“This was the result of various factors, but above all, the performance wasn’t quite as good as it could have been.

“Fortunately, we were able to bring Laurent Mekies into the family. His responsibilities will be significantly reduced, with the main focus being on racing.”

Focusing on racing is exactly what Red Bull’s reigning World Champion Verstappen wants to do.

He sat down with the media, including PlanetF1.com, in the build-up to the Belgian Grand Prix where he was quizzed on whether he felt that a change in leadership was required at Red Bull.

“Well, I don’t know,” Verstappen said. “At the end of the day, management and, of course, the shareholders, decided that they wanted a change and, at the end of the day they run the team and I’m the driver, so whatever they decide, it’s fully in their right to do what they want. That’s basically how it happened.

“At the same time now, sitting here, you look back at those 20 years of Red Bull, I think we’ve had a lot of great years, great results.

“Now, of course, there are also years where it’s not going that well and I think the last one-and-a-half years have not gone how we would have liked, and management decided they wanted to see a shift in a different direction, probably, and then everyone else, of course, has to agree to that and look forward.

“I am looking forward because I had already quite a few meetings with Laurent as well.

“The last two weeks have been quite intense for him to jump in, but I’m equally also excited for the team now, moving forward, because that’s what we have to do.

“Looking back doesn’t make sense. It’s not going to make you faster.”

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