For two decades, Red Bull Racing defined itself as Formula 1’s anti-establishment disruptor. Founded by the late Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz and run with an iron fist on the pitwall by Christian Horner, the Milton Keynes squad prided itself on doing what traditional manufacturers deemed impossible: culminating in the audacious creation of Red Bull Powertrains in 2021.
However, more than a year after his ruthless sacking in July 2025, Horner has delivered a pointed critique of the team’s current identity. Speaking to The Guardian, the former team principal suggested that the nonconformist DNA that propelled Red Bull to 14 world championships has eroded under corporate CEO Oliver Mintzlaff and his pitwall successor, Laurent Mekies.
