The position of Christian Horner at Red Bull was called into question at the beginning of the year following complaints about his behavior, made by an employee. The scandal triggered a lengthy investigation that ultimately exonerated the Brit, but set off an internal power battle that risked tearing the team apart.
The Thais who own the majority ownership of the energy drink company were said to be fully supportive of Horner, while the Austrian part of the management, led by Oliver Mintzlaff, Mateschitz’s successor, wanted his replacement.
This opinion was fueled by the fact that Mintzlaff did not intervene in the midst of the tense situation, and did not give any official support to Horner., despite having had the opportunity to do so during a visit to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. But in an interview with ‘Bild Am Sonntag’the German businessman has made it clear that He fully supports the director of the Formula 1 team, and believes he can continue to lead it to long-term success. “I am convinced of this. He only has the team’s success in mind, and he is a very good director” said.
Red Bull’s task of continuing to win in the future may be made more difficult by the departure of its technical director, Adrian Newey, who will leave early next year. And while Mintzlaff isn’t thrilled to lose someone as talented as the engineer, ensures that the existing technical structure is what will allow the team to continue producing great cars.
“Adrian has done great things here over the years, and has played an important role in us winning 13 world championships. Obviously, it is a shame that he is leaving us, but we have discussed it in a very fair and respectful dialogue. What he leaves behind is not only a unique legacy, but also a structure that he helped build. Of course, we will miss him – also as a person – but tomorrow we will continue knowing how to build a very fast Formula 1 car“said the executive director.
The timing of Newey’s departure means that Red Bull will be without him for the transition to the new F1 regulations, which will come into force from 2026, when the team will also have its own engine, through Red Bull Powertrains.
Mintzlaff does not underestimate the magnitude of the challenge, but sees no reason why the reigning champions cannot do well with the next generation of cars. “In 2026 we want to continue where we are now: at the top of Formula 1“he explained.
“Of course, there is no guarantee of this, but While we’ve shown we can deal with big rule changes, other teams have failed to close the gap for three years. Max Verstappen will also have realized this, and he makes me see the future in a totally positive way. We haven’t been preparing for 2026 since yesterday. Of course, building your own engine is a big task and a challenge, but we are confident that we can complete this step. “This is the next stage of development for Red Bull,” he concluded.
