Red Bull Shake-Up? Reports Suggest Christian Horner Could Be Replaced by Former Alpine Boss

In a dramatic twist that could shake up the Formula 1 paddock, long-standing Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner may be on the verge of losing his role. According to a bombshell report by Italian outlet FormulaPassion, Red Bull’s Thai stakeholders are growing increasingly dissatisfied with Horner’s leadership, and former Alpine boss Oliver Oakes is rumoured to be a potential replacement.

Christian Horner, who has led Red Bull Racing since its inception in 2005, has become one of the sport’s most recognisable figures, guiding the team to six Constructors’ Championships and overseeing drivers’ careers like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. However, cracks may appear within the Red Bull structure after two decades of leadership.

The reported discontent centres around Red Bull’s performance slump this season. The team’s latest upgrades set for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola are viewed as a potential last chance for Horner to retain his role. Red Bull is currently third in the constructors’ standings behind McLaren and Mercedes, trailing McLaren by 141 points and Mercedes by 36.

The potential successor, Oliver Oakes, recently resigned from his role as Alpine’s team principal on May 6, just days before the rumours surfaced. Alpine’s brief statement about Oliver Oakes’ departure thanked him for his efforts in securing a sixth-place finish in the 2024 Constructors’ Championship but offered no clues about his future. However, insiders now suggest that Oliver Oakes is being positioned as a front-runner to replace Christian Horner should Red Bull’s Imola performance disappoint.

 

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Interestingly, Oliver Oakes, 36, would follow in the footsteps of Horner, who became the youngest F1 team principal at age 31 when he took the reins at Red Bull. Oakes was previously the second-youngest to hold such a role.

Despite the pressure, Christian Horner continues to back his team publicly. Following Max Verstappen’s fourth-place finish at the Miami Grand Prix, Horner praised the Dutch driver for his defensive efforts, even though the team couldn’t capitalise on his pole position.

“I thought it was a very brave display, arguably, that maybe hurt our own race, because you’re fighting hard, your tyres are getting hot… but you’re leading the Grand Prix, you gotta go for it.” Christian Horner told RacingNews365.

Max Verstappen, currently third in the Drivers’ Championship with 99 points, is trailing leader Oscar Piastri by 32 points and second-place Lando Norris by 16. Max Verstappen lost positions to McLaren drivers and George Russell in the Miami race, finishing off the podium despite starting from pole.

The Imola race could now serve as a make-or-break moment for Christian Horner. If Red Bull’s upgrades fail to deliver, the team may be poised to begin a new era under different leadership, potentially led by the man who just walked away from Alpine.

Whether these rumours materialise or not, one thing is clear: the stakes for Red Bull and Christian Horner have never been higher.