Jos Verstappen was not behind my Red Bull exit, says Christian Horner

Horner, who joined the team in 2005, led Red Bull to eight drivers’ championships and six constructors’ championship titles.

He was dismissed after a controversial 18 months that started when a female employee accused him of sexual harassment, an allegation that was made public in February 2024.

He was twice cleared of the claims, firstly after an internal investigation conducted by a lawyer, then by another lawyer who dismissed the complainant’s appeal.

The Briton left with a £52m payout but he said he felt a “real sense of loss”, and blamed Red Bull managing director Oliver Mintzlaff and Red Bull advisor Marko Helmut for his exit.

“It was all rather sudden. I didn’t really get the chance to say a proper goodbye,” he said.

“I think this was a decision that was made by Oliver Mintzlaff with Helmut advising from the side-line.

“I think ultimately things changed within the business, within the group. The founder died, and after Dietrich [Mateschitz]’s death, I think probably I was deemed to have maybe too much control.”