Christian Horner has been fired from Red Bull, marking the end of a 20-year era. Horner has been with Red Bull since their Formula One debut in 2005. He started racing in the International Formula 3000 series in 1997 on a team he co-founded with his father. He shelved his driving career at the end of 1998 to focus on growing the team. After a failed attempt to buy Jordan Grand Prix, Horner linked up with Red Bull as they purchased the Jaguar F1 Team, becoming the youngest F1 team principal. During his time at Red Bull, Horner oversaw the team’s rise to success that would see Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen each win four World Drivers’ Championship titles, also giving the team six constructors’ titles. No reason was given for Horner’s sudden departure, but the past two years have been difficult for Horner and Red Bull, with decreasing performance, tension within the team, the exit of Adrian Newey, and allegations of inappropriate conduct. It’s also unclear what lies ahead for Horner, although there are already rumours circulating that link him to various teams, from Ferrari to Aston Martin to Alpine.
Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies has been appointed to replace Horner as Red Bull team principal. He began his Formula One career with Minardi, which was eventually purchased by Red Bull and rebranded to Toro Rosso. He stayed with the team, being promoted to chief engineer. He left the team in 2014 to take a role at the FIA as safety director. He returned to the paddock in 2018 with Ferrari, reaching the rank of Deputy Team Principal. Mekies returned to Racing Bulls (then RB) last year as their team principal.
Alan Permane has been promoted to Racing Bulls’ team principal, filling the seat left by Mekies. Permane began working in Formula One with Benetton back in 1989, sticking with the team through their transition from Renault to Lotus back to Renault and then Alpine. He worked in various roles, including Chief Operating Officer, chief race engineer, and sporting director. After leaving the team in 2023, Permane returned to the F1 grid the following year as racing director at RB.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed took place this weekend, featuring a huge F1 presence. As Formula One celebrates its 75th year, there were more than one hundred F1 cars, young and old, on display and in action at the event. Notably, Haas celebrated their tenth season in Formula One with a big event. Team owner Gene Haas and Team Principal Ayao Komatsu both tackled the iconic hillclimb in the VF-23 and VF-24 cars. Many F1 drivers were also present, including legends such as Jackie Stewart, Damon Hill, Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, and Alain Prost. Additionally, the work of legendary car designer Gordon Murray was a central focus of this year’s event, celebrating 60 years. Many of his cars, from historic McLaren F1 cars to high-performance sports cars, were featured at the event.
Williams team principal James Vowles and his wife Rachel had their second child this week. They shared an announcement via social media on Thursday confirming that both the mother and baby were healthy. The couple already have a nearly two-year-old daughter.
Following the commercial success of the F1 movie, Apple is reportedly seeking to acquire the rights to Formula One in the United States. ESPN currently holds the rights to broadcast F1 in the United States, but its deal expires at the end of the season. With the sport steadily gaining traction in America, ESPN and Apple are thought to be the front-runners in the bid to secure the rights. Netflix, the company behind the popular Drive to Survive docuseries, is thought to be interested in broadcasting rights as well.
It can be challenging for even the most avid fans to keep up with the fast-paced world of Formula One. The Weekly F1 Recap is a series published each Monday that breaks down the action, both on and off the circuit, into bit-sized pieces. It's perfect for casual and experienced fans alike.
