Who will replace Christian Horner at Red Bull? New F1 team principal and CEO confirmed
Red Bull Racing have announced their new CEO and team principal.
Christian Horner has been replaced as CEO and team principal of Red Bull Racing effective immediately.
The long-standing boss has guided the team to six Constructors' Championship titles throughout his 20-year tenure.
No formal reason has been stated for Horner's exit, though it comes amid a rocky 18 months for one of the most recognisable faces in the paddock.
In February 2024, Horner was accused of "inappropriate, controlling behaviour" by a female member of staff within the Red Bull organisation. He denied the allegations and an internal investigation has since dismissed the grievance.
Red Bull's dominance on the track has also wavered since last summer. Max Verstappen has won the last four Drivers' Championship titles, but he has been overtaken in the standings by McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, while Sergio Pérez left after the 2024 and his replacement, Liam Lawson, was demoted to sister team Racing Bulls after just two races in 2025.
Whatever the truth is behind Horner's departure, Red Bull have acted swiftly to replace him.
RadioTimes.com rounds up all you need to know about the new man in charge at Red Bull.
Who will replace Christian Horner at Red Bull?
Laurent Mekies has assumed the role of CEO and team principal at Red Bull Racing for the remainder of the season and beyond.
The 48-year-old has been team principal at Racing Bulls since last year and has now been promoted to lead the main Red Bull team. Alan Permane has stepped up to replace Mekies at RB.
Following the news, Mekies said: "The last year and a half has been an absolute privilege to lead the team with Peter (Bayer, CEO).
"The spirit inside Racing Bulls is incredible, and I’m convinced this is just the beginning. Alan is the perfect man to take over now – he knows every bolt on that car and has been one of the pillars of our early successes."
In a twist of fate, Mekies's first experience of Formula 1 came in 2001 working with the Arrows team, whose driver line-up contained Jos Verstappen, father of Max, who has been a publicly vocal critic of Horner since last year.
Mekies is stepping into one of the biggest jobs in Formula 1, and will attempt to replace one of the ultimate figureheads in the sport – but will he succeed?
By entering your details you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Check out more of our Sport coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Michael Potts is the Sport Editor for Radio Times, covering all of the biggest sporting events across the globe with previews, features, interviews and more. He has worked for Radio Times since 2019 and previously worked on the sport desk at Express.co.uk after starting his career writing features for What Culture. He achieved a first-class degree in Sports Journalism in 2014.
