Christian Horner says Verstappen camp was not behind Red Bull exit

christian horner has denied that Max Verstappen or his camp were responsible for his removal from Red Bull in 2025, and has spoken publicly for the first time about the circumstances surrounding his departure. He relays the moment he told his wife Geri Halliwell he had been sacked and describes the emotional aftermath.

Horner rejects Verstappen blame

Horner, 52, told the Drive to Survive cameras that he did not believe Verstappen or the Verstappens were responsible in any way for his exit. He said: "[Max Verstappen's] father has never been my biggest fan. He's been outspoken about me, but I don't believe that the Verstappens were responsible in any way. "

Jos Verstappen had said Horner was "driving people apart" before his departure, and many suggested Horner's exit was an attempt to convince Verstappen to sign a new deal. Verstappen, who is contracted until 2028, only committed to racing for Red Bull in the 2026 season after Horner's exit.

How the sacking unfolded

The 52-year-old left his roles as team principal and chief executive last summer and was dismissed in July last year after what is described as months of team decline and internal disputes. Horner said: "It was all rather sudden. I didn't really get the chance to say a proper goodbye. " He added: "I think this was a decision that was made by Oliver Mintzlaff with Helmut advising from the side-line. "

Horner also blamed decisions made after the death of the founder, saying: "The founder died, and after Dietrich [Mateschitz]'s death, I think probably I was deemed to have maybe too much control. " The founder's death is placed in October 2022 in the account of a later power struggle.

Claims, clearances and payouts

The dismissal followed a controversial 18 months that began when a female employee accused Horner of sexual harassment, an allegation that was made public in February 2024. He was twice cleared of the claims: one account says he was cleared firstly after an internal investigation conducted by a lawyer, then by another lawyer who dismissed the complainant's appeal; another account states an internal investigation led by KCs twice cleared him of wrongdoing.

On financial exit terms, one description in the context states Horner left with a £52m payout. Another account states he eventually left the team in July after receiving an £80million package. Horner said he felt a "real sense of loss" after his departure and added: "I feel a real sense of loss and hurt. It was all rather sudden. I didn't really get the chance to say a proper goodbye. "

Kitchen-table moment with Geri Halliwell

Footage in the Drive to Survive episode shows Horner opening up to his wife, Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, at their kitchen table in the conservatory. The 52-year-old began the conversation with a downbeat "hey darling", then confirmed: "All... all done and dusted, " kissed Halliwell on the forehead, sat at the table and accepted a waiting latte.

Halliwell, 53, looked visibly emotional and asked: "How do you feel?" Horner said: "How do I feel? Um... I never imagined to be in this position. Of course your immediate reaction when you get delivered a s*** sandwich like that is, like, f*** them. I've had something taken away from me that wasn't my choice, that was very precious to me. "

Halliwell had earlier said she had an ominous inkling after an Austria race, recalling she sat on the bed one night and went "Something really bad's gonna happen. " She confirmed that she had said they were going to "fire" her husband. Later scenes show the pair watching a race on television, an unusual perspective for a former team principal who had held his role since 2005. Horner complained: "You haven't got any of the data here really! Well, normally I would have a whole bunch of noise in my ears. So it's like you're blind. " Halliwell admitted she felt "a bit sad watching this" as her eyes filled with tears.

Back at their Cotswolds home, Halliwell tried to lift the mood by suggesting Horner might be trying to "eat his feelings. " The context also notes that Halliwell flew to Bahrain in February 2024 to take her husband's side after a leaked cache of suggestive messages purportedly from Horner, and that she supported him throughout the investigations. A later line in the contextual material says she calls him a 't**t' for his antics afterwards.

Legacy, rivals and aftermath

christian horner joined Red Bull in 2005 and led the team to eight drivers' championships and six constructors' championship titles. Max Verstappen won four successive drivers' titles under Horner from 2021 to 2024, and another phrasing in the context notes Verstappen won four Formula 1 titles under Horner.

Horner's main rival during his tenure was Mercedes boss Toto Wolff; their rivalry was highlighted most sharply when Verstappen beat Hamilton to the 2021 drivers' title. Despite their feuding, Horner revealed a touching message that Wolff had sent him following his dismissal. Helmut Marko, described as the founder's trusted motorsport advisor who worked closely with Horner for many years, is said to have advised from the side-line and was himself ousted by Red Bull just months after Horner at the end of the 2025 season.

The Drive to Survive series is released on Friday with another eight episodes, ahead of the 2026 season getting under way in Australia.

Closing paragraph: Horner has publicly rejected the idea that Max Verstappen or his camp prompted his 2025 exit, described the personal toll of the dismissal, and allowed cameras to capture his private conversation with Geri Halliwell as he processed leaving a role he had held since 2005.