Christian Horner officially leaves Red Bull as '£75m payout' agreed

Christian Horner has officially left the Formula 1 racing team Red Bull after agreeing an exit package thought to be in the region of £75m, following his sacking in the summer.

Horner, 51, was in July relieved from his dual roles as Red Bull Racing team principal and chief executive after two decades in charge.

Negotiations have since taken place over his severance deal, given he was still owed more than £100m from a contract that had been due to run until the end of 2030.

Red Bull announced on Monday an agreement had been reached, with Sky Sports F1 understanding that Horner accepted a reduced payout of around £75m to ensure he will be allowed to return to the motor sport as soon as the summer of 2026.

Oliver Mintzlaff, chief executive of corporate projects and investments, said: "We would like to thank Christian for his exceptional work over the last 20 years.

"With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1.

"Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history."

Horner oversaw a period of extraordinary success during his 20-year career with the Milton Keynes-based team, winning eight drivers' and six constructors' titles.

He has been linked with a return to F1 since his removal from Red Bull, with Cadillac - set to join the grid as the 11th team from next season - recently ruling out a move for him.

Horner said: "Leading Red Bull Racing has been an honour and privilege.

"When we started in 2005, none of us could have imagined the journey ahead - the championships, the races, the people, the memories.

"I'm incredibly proud of what we achieved as a team breaking records and reaching heights no one would ever believe were possible and I will forever carry that with me.

"However, for me, my biggest satisfaction has been assembling and leading the most amazing group of talented and driven individuals and seeing them flourish as a subsidiary of an energy drinks company and seeing them take on and beat some of the biggest automotive brands in the world."

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The decision to relieve Horner of operational duties following July's British Grand Prix came 17 months after he was accused of "inappropriate behaviour" by a female colleague.

At last year's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, Horner was cleared of wrongdoing following an internal investigation, only for hundreds of WhatsApp messages - appearing to be exchanged between Horner and the complainant - to then be leaked to the F1 world.

Horner, who is married to former Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell, managed to keep the Red Bull hierarchy onside and fought on.

He always denied the claims and was exonerated for a second time of controlling behaviour by an independent KC last August.

Laurent Mekies replaced Horner as Red Bull Racing chief executive.

Horner wished the team - including drivers Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda - the "very best for the future".

He added: "I am confident they will, as ever, deliver success on the track, for our fans, and continue to push to the maximum and I look forward to seeing the first Red Bull/Ford engine in the back of RB22 next year as well as the exciting RB17.

"I would like to thank our incredible sponsors and partners for their unwavering support who have played a key role in all our success. I would like to say a big thank you to the fans for their ongoing belief and without whom there would be no Formula One."

(c) Sky News 2025: Christian Horner officially leaves Red Bull as '£75m payout' agreed