The Red Bull Racing team principal, Christian Horner, has received a public vote of confidence from Red Bull’s CEO, Oliver Mintzlaff. Mintzlaff expressed his faith in Horner’s leadership in the Formula 1 part of the brand. Horner has been at the helm of Red Bull since its founding in 2005. However, his future has recently been called into question due to allegations of misconduct. Despite being cleared of these accusations after an internal investigation, a power struggle has emerged. While rumors suggest that Horner has the support of the majority of Thai owners, the Austrian faction seems to favor his departure. Mintzlaff, who had previously refrained from endorsing Horner during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, has now expressed his desire to see Horner continue in his current role in the near future. “I am convinced of this,” Mintzlaff said, emphasizing Horner’s dedication to the team’s success and his effectiveness as CEO.
Speculation surrounding tension within the Red Bull team has once again increased this week with the news that design expert Adrian Newey will be departing in 2025. However, Mintzlaff, like Horner and Max Verstappen, believes that Red Bull’s current technical structure is well-equipped to continue achieving success even in Newey’s absence. Mintzlaff acknowledges Newey’s significant contributions to the team over the years, stating that he played a crucial role in winning 13 world titles. While it is regrettable that Newey is leaving, Mintzlaff assures that the decision was made through fair and respectful discussions. He also emphasizes that Newey leaves behind not only a remarkable legacy but also a solid foundation that he helped establish. Mintzlaff expresses confidence in the team’s ability to build fast Formula 1 cars even without Newey’s direct involvement.With Newey’s imminent departure, Red Bull will no longer be able to rely on his ideas for the upcoming technical regulations that will be introduced in 2026. Despite this challenge, Mintzlaff remains optimistic and has full confidence in the current champions’ ability to excel once again. He states that their goal for 2026 is to maintain their current position at the top of Formula 1. While there are no guarantees, Mintzlaff points out that Red Bull has successfully navigated major rule changes in the past, while other teams struggled to fill the gap for three years. He believes that Max Verstappen, along with the entire team, has noticed this trend, which fuels his positive outlook for the future. Mintzlaff assures that Red Bull has been diligently preparing for 2026 for some time. Although developing their own engine represents a significant task and challenge, he expresses confidence in their ability to overcome them. Mintzlaff sees this as the next stage in Red Bull’s development.
