Zak Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the McLaren Racing team, has admitted that he was not surprised by the dismissal of Christian Horner from his role as Team Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team — a position Horner had held for two decades. What did catch Brown off guard, however, was the timing of the decision.
Christian Horner was officially removed from his leadership role shortly after the 2025 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Since Red Bull Racing’s entry into Formula 1 in 2005, Horner had served as the only Team Principal of the team. He led Red Bull through a highly successful era, collecting multiple World Championships with drivers like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. Now, he has been replaced by Laurent Mekies, who previously served as Team Principal of the Red Bull sister team (formerly AlphaTauri).
The primary reasons behind Horner’s removal appear to be a noticeable decline in performance that began in the second half of the 2024 season, coupled with various internal issues. One of the major contributing factors was the controversy that surrounded Horner at the start of the previous season, an incident that drew significant media attention and cast a shadow over the team’s operations.
There have also been persistent rumors indicating that the British executive’s departure was orchestrated by the Red Bull ownership. Allegedly, the leadership believed that Horner had accumulated too much internal power within the team’s structure, creating an imbalance they sought to correct.
Zak Brown’s perspective on the Horner situation
When asked for his reaction to Red Bull’s decision, Zak Brown, 53, expressed little surprise at the outcome itself. He told reporters that while the timing of the announcement was unexpected, the result had seemed inevitable given the recent turbulence within the team.
“Maybe the timing, but not the outcome. I think there’s been a lot of drama over the last two years, and it doesn’t seem to have settled down — if anything, it appears to have gotten worse,” Brown said when reflecting on Horner’s ousting.
“So no, I’m not surprised this happened mid-season,” the American executive added. “But we’re staying focused on our own championship campaign. Red Bull still has Max Verstappen, so we can’t afford to ignore them. That said, they’ve certainly enjoyed tremendous success over the years.”
Despite the uncertainty now surrounding Horner’s future in motorsport, Zak Brown is confident that the British manager will resurface somewhere within the racing world.
“Given his age and background in motorsports, I would be surprised if he didn’t reappear somewhere in the racing scene. But I have no idea what other interests he might have — maybe he wants to become a football club executive or something else entirely. So, we’ll see,” Brown concluded.
The fall of Red Bull and McLaren’s resurgence
While Red Bull Racing has seen its dominance in Formula 1 come to an end, McLaren has risen to take its place. The Woking-based team clinched the 2024 Constructors’ Championship and is currently on course to claim both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ titles in the ongoing 2025 Formula One season.
After struggling to match the performance of the Red Bull Racing cars throughout 2023 and the beginning of 2024, McLaren found a turning point in the second half of last season. Since then, the team has surged ahead with strong performances, establishing itself as the dominant force in 2025. Drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are now in a strong position to bring McLaren its first Drivers’ Championship title since 2008.
Beyond Formula 1, McLaren continues to expand its motorsport portfolio. The team is actively competing in the IndyCar Series and has announced its intention to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2027, including participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).
Zak Brown outlines McLaren’s ambitions
When asked about the current goals for McLaren Racing, Zak Brown made it clear that the organization is far from satisfied with just one title. The ultimate aim is to dominate across multiple racing disciplines.
“I feel like we’re on the right path,” said the 53-year-old. “I think we’re hitting our targets. But our end goal is much bigger: we want to win the Indy 500, the IndyCar Championship, the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship, the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, Le Mans, and the World Endurance Championship — and then do it all over again.”
“So far, we’ve only ticked off one — the Constructors’ title. But seriously, I think we’re on track. Still, there’s a lot more to achieve,” Brown concluded.
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