A “unified sense of disappointment and sadness” prevailed at Red Bull Racing HQ as Christian Horner bid an emotional farewell.
That is the reveal made by Sky F1 lead commentator David Croft who, after speaking to Red Bull personnel, watched a “fairly impassive” Horner leave Milton Keynes following his shock sacking, while Sky F1 analyst Craig Slater claims two further “senior management figures” headed for the Red Bull door with Horner.
Christian Horner sacked by Red Bull
One of the most successful Formula 1 team principals of all time, Horner has been sacked by Red Bull after 20 years as team principal, overseeing a total of 14 World Championship wins.
According to Slater, Horner had been informed of his fate on Tuesday, and was at Red Bull’s Milton Keynes base on Wednesday morning to give his farewell address to his now former colleagues.
Horner is joined in departure by Oliver Hughes, chief marketing officer, and Paul Smith, Red Bull’s group director of communications.
“It is a shocked campus here at Milton Keynes,” Slater told Sky Sports News as he and Croft spoke live from the Red Bull Racing factory.
“What we’ve been able to piece together is that we understand this decision was finalised yesterday by the Red Bull board.
“Christian Horner, it was communicated to him yesterday, and then senior sponsorship partners, were told yesterday evening.
“Christian Horner then came here this morning and addressed the staff at 10am UK time, and he left the campus at 11:25.
“Staff have been told to make no comments. This is being handled by the Salzburg office.
“I understand that two other senior management figures with close connections to Christian Horner have also left their employment here at Red Bull at this time, but in terms of the rank and file here, Crofty, if I can put it like that, we’ve managed to speak to a few off camera, and significant emotion amongst them.”
More on Christian Horner’s Red Bull exit from PlanetF1.com
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Croft spoke of “a unified sense of disappointment and sadness” among the Red Bull personnel he spoke to as Horner departs, and claimed that Horner “broke down” at points of his speech, before leaving looking “fairly impassive”.
“Yes, and that emotion is one of sadness today,” Croft responded to Slater.
“We look around a Red Bull campus that 20 years ago was barely a third of the size that it is now. In Christian Horner’s time as CEO and team principal, he has seen extensions and engine factories, wind tunnel factories built, workforce increased to well over 1000 people now.
“And that’s just on the car side. The engine side, the wind tunnel that’s been built as well, employing even more.
“And from those that we’ve managed to speak to, it is a unified sense of disappointment and sadness, at a man that they see, has unified their team, who was never afraid to sit and have a chat to various people, no matter what they did for the organisation.
“The speech that Christian Horner gave this morning to the factory, we understand, was hugely emotional, and Christian himself was very emotional and broke down on occasion, and he received a massive ovation at the end of that speech from a workforce that are very loyal to him, because he has helped bring success, bonuses and World Championship glory in terms of 14 world titles during his time as team principal.
“He drove out this morning at 11:25. I was still here waiting for you, Craig, and he looked fairly impassive, I think, just staring ahead in his car, there was no thumbs up, there were no waves. He drove out of the gates here for what now seems to be the final time.”
Laurent Mekies has been promoted from Racing Bulls team principal to Red Bull Racing CEO following Horner’s departure, as Alan Permane takes over as Racing Bulls team boss.
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