Brown "not surprised" by Horner's Red Bull F1 exit

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown was “not surprised” by Christian Horner’s Red Bull Formula 1 departure - but was a little thrown off by the timing.

Just three days after the British Grand Prix on 9 July, Red Bull announced the removal of Horner as CEO and team principal, roles he’d held since the team’s F1 debut in 2005.

It came 12 rounds into the 2025 campaign with Laurent Mekies, the now former boss of sister squad Racing Bulls, replacing Horner.

He appears to have paid the price for Red Bull’s performance decline, having dominated the 2023 season before finishing third last year with the Austrian squad currently fourth in 2025.

But it also came 17 months after Horner was cleared of inappropriate behaviour following allegations made by a female Red Bull employee - which at the time, threw his future into serious question. 

That also came amid a power struggle at the parent Red Bull company following the death of founder Dietrich Mateschitz and such internal politics may have contributed to Horner’s exit. 

When asked by TSN if he was surprised by the departure, Brown said: “Maybe the timing, but not the result. I think there's been a lot of drama there the last couple of years, and it doesn't seem like that drama has been calming down - maybe been getting worse.

Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

"So, I'm not surprised, anytime in the middle of the season. But we're head down on our championship. They've got Max [Verstappen] still knocking on the door, so we've got to pay attention to that. But, yeah, tremendous amount of success they’ve had.”

Horner is yet to announce his next move, but Brown reckons the 51-year-old will remain involved with motorsport. 

“Given his age and his history in motor racing, I'd be surprised if he didn't show up somewhere in motor racing," Brown added.

"But I don't know his other interests, whether he wants to go run a football team or what have you. So, we'll see.”

Brown’s McLaren outfit ended Red Bull’s dominance by taking the 2024 F1 constructors’ title and it is well on course to defend its championship this year. 

McLaren should also have its first drivers’ champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2008, as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are involved in a tight title battle this season.

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Zak Brown, McLaren

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

The British marque is involved in other motorsport series as well like IndyCar, while McLaren is also set for a Le Mans return in 2027 which will include a World Endurance Championship campaign. 

So, when asked about McLaren’s targets in the same interview with TSN, Brown said there is still a lot more to achieve.

“I feel like we’re on our way,” said Brown, who became McLaren Racing CEO in 2018. “I feel like we are hitting our goals, but our ultimate goal is to win the Indy 500, win the IndyCar championship, win the Formula 1 constructors’ championship, win the Formula 1 drivers’ championship, and win Le Mans and win the World Endurance Championship - and then to do it again.

“So we’ve only been able to do one of those so far, which is the constructors’ championship. But in all seriousness, I feel like we’re well on our way. But a lot of unfinished business.”