Christian Horner has admitted he felt hurt by the way his Red Bull chapter ended, particularly because he was unable to see the in-house power unit project he helped create begin winning in Formula 1. The former team principal nevertheless remains proud of a Red Bull legacy that includes 124 victories and 14 championships, while also claiming part of the credit for the team’s recent engine success.
Christian Horner is no longer part of Formula 1 or Red Bull, but he is certainly not an uninterested observer. Just as Max Verstappen’s 2025 recovery was aided by technical developments planned while Horner was still in charge, the former team principal believes there is also a small but significant trace of his influence in Red Bull’s 2026 results.
Christian Horner takes pride in Red Bull Powertrains success
Horner was one of the key figures who believed in the Red Bull Powertrains project when the idea of building an engine in-house was still regarded as a major gamble. Through its collaboration with Ford, Red Bull has built an effective Formula 1 power unit in only a few years, with its recent results demonstrating the potential of the ambitious programme.
Horner left Red Bull in July 2025, before he could see one of the most significant projects launched under his leadership completed and taken onto the track. Recent victories at Sepang and Singapore have therefore carried particular emotional significance for him.
“When I arrived at Red Bull, there were fewer than 400 people. When I left, there were 2,200,” Christian Horner told The Guardian. “I put my heart and soul into that company and convinced people to leave other teams to come to Red Bull.”
“I never had a large turnover of staff because there was extraordinary loyalty built up over the years. The engine operation was founded in 2021 and, when I left, I was on the verge of bringing that power unit onto the track. I felt great sadness that I wasn’t able to see that engine fitted into a car.”
‘Nobody can take away 124 wins and 14 championships’
For Horner, the success of the Powertrains programme is closely connected to the organisation he helped build during his lengthy spell at the head of Red Bull.
“Nobody can take away my 124 victories and 14 championships, but I felt particularly hurt and deprived of the opportunity to see the engine built by Powertrains win,” Christian Horner added.
That first breakthrough for the Red Bull Powertrains project prompted Horner to contact people still working inside the organisation, including Max Verstappen. Horner has also recently reflected on the significance of Red Bull Powertrains’ first victory while discussing his own Formula 1 future.
“I felt enormous pride, I received messages from people in the team and I wrote to Max after the race. He was very generous, and seeing that engine win represented a historic moment.”
“It confirmed to me that if you put together the right people, the right culture and the necessary tools, anything is possible. Red Bull has always been a non-conformist team, capable of pushing beyond the limits: only Red Bull would have had the courage to build a new engine inside a company that produces drinks.”
Christian Horner steps back from Ferrari speculation
During the same interview, Horner also firmly stepped back from suggestions that he could move to Ferrari, arguing that comments he previously made to The Times had been taken out of context.
The possibility of Christian Horner potentially joining Ferrari had attracted considerable attention after the former Red Bull boss appeared to leave the door open to a future role at Maranello.
Horner has now distanced himself from that interpretation. He did, however, confirm that he remains interested in finding a winning Formula 1 project in which he could also own a stake in the team.
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