A challenging period for Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has ended with him being given the sack. Horner, 51, had been with the F1 heavyweights since their inception in 2005, overseeing eight Drivers' Championship titles, with the last four coming consecutively between 2021 and 2024.

However, the decision precedes a difficult 18-month spell which has seen Red Bull's form gradually wane. Max Verstappen has since dropped to third in the standings, where he is now 61 points behind Lando Norris and 69 behind current leader Oscar Piastri, both of McLaren. Most significantly, his exit also comes 17 months after he was accused of harassment and controlling behaviour by a female employee, which he has been twice cleared of by the F1 giant's parent company Red Bull GmbH. Now Horner is no longer with the brand, Express Sport takes an in-depth look into his life.

Out of all the F1 teams, Horner was the longest serving and highest paid team principal in the paddock. According to The Times, in 2024, Red Bull Technology Ltd accounts stated that Horner's salary had increased from £8.04million in 2022 to £8.92m in 2023, representing an 11% increase.

This huge salary coupled with other business interests including two country homes in Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire, saw him boast an estimated net worth of around £41.4m.

Horner's time in motorsport initially began as a driver, where he enjoyed some success and even became a race-winner with British Formula Renault in the late 1990s. He retired from racing in 1998, when he was only 25 years old.

Horner then decided to work in team management, where he became the head of International Formula 3000 team Arden International, which he co-founded in 1997. Red Bull would go on to appoint him as team principal in 2005, where he helped turn them into one of the most dominant forces ever seen in F1.

In February 2024, Horner was accused of inappropriate behaviour towards a former Red Bull employee, which he was then cleared of by an internal investigation carried out by an independent barrister. An appeal against the decision filed by the employee was then rejected in August 2024.

Throughout the process, Geri Horner stuck by her husband of 10 years, famously holding his hand and walking down the paddocks with him at the 2024 Bahrain GP, shortly after the allegations surfaced. However, in March, reports claimed the former Spice Girl had taken the decision to legally double barrel her surname to Halliwell-Horner.

In a video for fashion brand Dior, she referred to herself by her maiden name, saying: "C'est moi! Geri, Geri Halliwell. Enchantée," in the video. She also goes by her double-barrelled name as an author, which was brandished on the second instalment of her Rosie Frost series.

But when asked if she had legally changed her name, the 52-year-old furiously blasted the suggestion, continuing the united front she has put up with Horner ever since the allegations were made. She told The Times: "That's a load of crap. It's my writing name. I haven't legally changed anything - Horner is the name on my passport."

In the past, Horner has made it abundantly clear that his loyalty was to Red Bull. Just last month, he addressed rumours linking him to Ferrari, clearly stating that he would remain with Red Bull. Speaking to Martin Brundle on Sky Sports F1 at the Canadian GP, Horner said: "There are so many rumours, I'm not going anywhere. I'm fully committed to Red Bull.

"We've got so much good stuff coming through the pipeline. We're on the verge of launching our own engine for 2026 which has been a massive project and undertaking. Of course, it's always flattering to be associated with other teams, particularly teams like Ferrari. But no, I'm not going anywhere."

While not directly mentioning Ferrari, Horner also told PlanetF1 that he has received many offers in the past, but refuted them all. He said: "Obviously, over the years, I've had different approaches, and it's always flattering to be associated with any other team as they're all great teams. But my heart and soul are in this team."

It remains to be seen as to whether Ferrari will make a move for Horner in the near future and if the 51-year-old would consider a move to the red brand.