After a period of uncertainty, Red Bull has finally taken a public stance on Christian Horner’s future. The CEO of the Austrian energy drink brand, Oliver Mintzlaff, declared his confidence in Horner’s leadership at the helm of the Formula 1 team.
Horner has held the position since the creation of the Red Bull F1 team in 2005. However, rumors about his staying arose earlier this year due to an internal investigation into an accusation of ‘inappropriate conduct’ made by a team employee. Despite being cleared in an investigation carried out by the team itself, speculation of an internal dispute continued.
There were rumors that the Thai owners supported Horner, while the Austrian sector of Red Bull preferred his departure. Mintzlaff, who met with consultant Helmut Marko instead of Horner in Saudi Arabia, finally spoke out.
In an interview with German newspaper Bild Am Sonntag, the 48-year-old made clear his desire to keep Horner in the role. “I’m convinced of that,” Mintzlaff said. “He only thinks about the success of the team and is an excellent boss.”
The recent news of technical director Adrian Newey’s departure in 2025 has reignited suspicions of tensions at Red Bull. However, like Horner and Max Verstappen, Mintzlaff believes the existing technical structure will remain competitive. “Adrian has done a great job here over the years and was instrumental in winning thirteen F1 titles,” he acknowledged. “Of course it’s a shame he’s leaving, but we talked about it fairly and respectfully.”
“The legacy he leaves behind is not only unique, but also a structure he helped build. Of course we will miss him, but we will continue to know how to build a very fast Formula 1 car,” he added.
Newey’s departure means that Red Bull will not be able to count on his ideas for the new technical regulations that will come into force in 2026. Despite admitting that creating its own engine is a big task, Mintzlaff is confident in the team’s ability.
“In 2026, we want to continue where we are: at the top of Formula 1,” he said. “Obviously there are no guarantees, but we have proven that we can deal with major rule changes, while other teams have not been able to catch up to us for three years. Max must have realized this too, and it makes me totally optimistic for the future. We didn’t start preparing for 2026 yesterday.”
“For sure, building our own engine is a big challenge, but we are confident we can do it. It is the next step in the development of Red Bull”, concluded the director.
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