Christian Horner has spoken of the pride of his two decades in charge of Red Bull, after formally leaving the Formula 1 giants, having agreed a financial settlement.
Horner was relieved of his operational duties as Team Principal and CEO days after the British Grand Prix in July, and was immediately replaced by Laurent Mekies.
The 51-year-old was subsequently removed as a director of Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technologies shortly after.
It is unknown what the exact figure of the payout is, but reports have indicated the fee could between £50-80 million, making it one of the biggest payouts in sports history.
Prior to his removal, Horner was the only boss the team had ever had, taking charge immediately upon its formation in 2005, when the team purchased the existing Jaguar Racing squad from Ford.
In those 20 years, the team rose from newbies to World Champions, taking six Constructors’ Championships, and eight Drivers’ Championships.
But it appeared things were not well within the ranks, after allegations about Horner’s private life led to an investigation, from which he was cleared.
However, it led to what seemed to be a power struggle, followed by the departures of high-profile figures within the team, such as Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley, who moved to Aston Martin and Sauber respectively.
Horner wishes Red Bull ‘the very best’
In a statement released by Red Bull, Horner said: “Leading Red Bull Racing has been an honour and privilege. When we started in 2005, none of us could have imagined the journey ahead — the championships, the races, the people, the memories.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved as a team breaking records and reaching heights no-one would ever believe were possible and I will forever carry that with me.
“However for me my biggest satisfaction has been assembling and leading the most amazing group of talented and driven individuals and seeing them flourish as a subsidiary of an Energy Drinks company and seeing them take on and beat some of the biggest automotive brands in the world.
“I wish Laurent, Max [Verstappen], Yuki [Tsunoda] and all of the Red Bull Technology Group the very best for the future. I am confident they will, as ever, deliver success on the track, for our fans, and continue to push to the maximum and I look forward to seeing the first Red Bull / Ford engine in the back of RB22 next year as well as the exciting RB17.
“I would like to thank our incredible sponsors and partners for their unwavering support who have played a key role in all our success.
“I would like to say a big thank you to the fans for their ongoing belief and without whom there would be no Formula One. Racing aside, I would also like to thank the shareholders, the late Dietrich Mateschitz for the opportunity he gave me as a 31 year old, Mark Mateschitz and Saravoot Yoovidhya and finally Chalerm and Daranee Yoovidhya for their friendship and commitment during my time at Red Bull as well as Oliver Mintzlaff and the Board for their guidance.”
Mintzlaff, CEO of Corporate Projects and Investments, said: “We would like to thank Christian for his exceptional work over the last 20 years.
“With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1.
“Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history.”
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