LATEST NEWS: Christian Horner has been sacked by Red Bull after 20 years as team principal, the team confirmed on Wednesday 🏎️

 

 

Christian Horner Joins Mercedes After Shock Red Bull Exit, Vows to “Dismantle the Bull

 

 

In a jaw-dropping twist that has sent seismic waves through the Formula 1 paddock, Christian Horner, just hours after being sacked by Red Bull Racing, has signed a multi-year contract with arch-rival Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team.

 

The shocking announcement came during an impromptu joint press conference held in Silverstone ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, where Horner appeared on stage flanked by Toto Wolff and Mercedes team executives.

 

“Red Bull made their choice,” said Horner, his trademark smirk returning after a turbulent few weeks. “Now it’s time to repay the favor—on track. Mercedes gave me an offer I simply couldn’t refuse: full autonomy, championship-winning resources, and the chance to dismantle the empire I helped build.”

 

Horner’s sacking on Wednesday ended a 20-year reign that saw him transform Red Bull from a mid-pack curiosity into a motorsport juggernaut, winning 13 constructors’ and drivers’ championships combined. But amid rising tensions within the Red Bull power structure, including reported clashes with Helmut Marko, new shareholders, and even Max Verstappen’s camp, his position became increasingly untenable.

 

Rumors suggest Horner was locked out of the Red Bull factory earlier this week, with security instructed not to let him retrieve his signature espresso machine. Sources say Horner left the premises in a vintage Aston Martin DB5, “blaring Adele and flipping the bird.”

 

His dramatic switch to Mercedes is not without controversy. Former Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who once labeled Horner a “master of manipulation,” now seems to have changed his tune.

“I’ve always respected Christian’s competitiveness, even when he drove me nuts,” Wolff admitted. “Now, we’ll drive others nuts—together.”

The move has reignited the legendary Red Bull-Mercedes rivalry, which had cooled slightly in recent seasons as Ferrari and McLaren regained form. Horner is expected to begin his duties immediately, with insiders suggesting a radical restructuring of Mercedes’ technical department is already underway. James Allison is rumored to be shifting into a more advisory role, while Horner will bring along several former Red Bull engineers who left amid internal unrest.

 

Perhaps most sensationally, whispers in the paddock claim Horner has made a secret approach to lure Adrian Newey—Red Bull’s departing technical guru—over to Mercedes, potentially reshaping the F1 pecking order for years to come.

 

Red Bull, meanwhile, has promoted long-serving engineer Pierre Waché to interim team principal while they “evaluate long-term options,” including a potential bid to bring back Sebastian Vettel in a leadership role. Verstappen, asked about the leadership shakeup, replied tersely: “I’m just here to drive.”

 

Social media exploded following the announcement, with fans dubbing Horner’s move “the F1 equivalent of Darth Vader joining the Jedi.” Memes of Toto Wolff and Horner fist-bumping in front of a flaming Red Bull logo flooded Twitter, while “#HornerToMercedes” trended worldwide.

 

In a closing statement at the press conference, Horner grinned and quipped: “They say revenge is best served cold. I’ll be serving it with silver arrows.”

 

As the F1 circus barrels into Silverstone, one thing is clear: Christian Horner may be out at Red Bull, but he’s far from done with Formula 1—and he’s already planning his next title fight, this time from the other side of the gride