"Appropriate that he was out”: Pundit's blunt verdict on Red Bull firing Christian Horner

Christian Horner was sacked in the early half of July by Red Bull, which took the F1 world by surprise. However, F1 expert and former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe said it was appropriate that the 51-year-old was out as his time as the team's leader had come to an end.

The Austrian energy drinks maker bought the ailing Jaguar outfit and rebranded it as Red Bull from the 2005 season onwards. Horner was given the responsibility to provide the team with the resources to reach the top of F1, a dream that eventually became a reality, as the team secured eight Drivers' and six Constructors' titles.

While the squad had secured last year's drivers' title, Horner's position at the top of the team's operations came under fire. Though he initially survived the first wave of a possible removal, the Brit was ultimately removed after the British GP.

This announcement had jolted the F1 sphere, but Hinchcliffe shared how Horner's time at the helm of the organisation had come to an end, as he said on the Red Flags podcast:

"I mean, that's got to be the biggest one, right? I think, like a lot of people have said, [that they’re] surprised by the timing, but not that surprised that it happened. [It] was probably something that needed to happen. And you know, I'm sure from the team side, it was hard to look at a guy that had accomplished what he had while in charge of the team, but for a lot of different reasons, that time had come to an end. And so it was appropriate that he was out." (1:06:31 onwards)

Christian Horner was succeeded by Laurent Mekies at Red Bull as the team principal of the Milton Keynes-based squad.

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Christian Horner's successor is finding a welcoming environment at Red Bull

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 Hungary Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Christian Horner had been vital in the team's success over the past two-plus decades. However, with his departure, Laurent Mekies found himself heading the organisation as he moved from being the head of the Faenza-based squad to the A-team in Milton Keynes.

Though speculations made rounds in the F1 paddock, the Frenchman quickly got to work, and the team secured a sprint race victory in Belgium in his debut weekend as the team principal. Reflecting on how the team has been welcoming, Mekies said (via RN365):

"Our team have been fantastic. They've been so supportive, so open minded, and then it's great... And of course, it doesn't always convert into [lap time], but every day that is passing, you get to discover more of the talent that we have, and it gives us huge confidence into the future."

Red Bull sits fourth in the Constructors' standings, a statistic that Mekies would like to change for the better in his upcoming time as the leader of the squad.