Christian Horner has agreed a severance package with his former Red Bull team, in a deal that it is understood allows him to return to a Formula 1 role elsewhere next year.
The move comes after Horner was sacked by Red Bull in the days after the British Grand Prix, being immediately replaced by Laurent Mekies.
Following lengthy negotiations between the former Red Bull team boss and chiefs of its parent energy drinks company, it was announced on Monday that Horner has now officially parted company with the squad he helped build up.
While no details have been revealed about the terms of their settlement, sources have suggested it could be worth as much as $100 million over the next five years.
This will be in lieu of potential income he would have had – both from wages and bonuses – in the future as his previous contract ran until 2030.
This included senior roles at the Red Bull F1 team, Red Bull Advanced Technology and Red Bull Powertrains.
One of the key elements of the deal, however, is believed to be an agreement that Horner will be allowed to return to working in F1 as soon as next season.
The Race has learned that, while Horner will not be permitted to start work at a rival team immediately, the door is open for him to commence employment at some stage over the first half of 2026.
While the exact specifics are not known, this is understood to be somewhere after the first 2026 flyaways but before the summer break.
In a statement that Red Bull released on Monday, Horner was quoted as saying how proud he was about all that he achieved at Red Bull.
“Leading Red Bull Racing has been an honour and privilege,” he said. “When we started in 2005, none of us could have imagined the journey ahead — the championships, the races, the people, the memories.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved as a team breaking records and reaching heights no-one would ever believe were possible and I will forever carry that with me.
“However for me my biggest satisfaction has been assembling and leading the most amazing group of talented and driven individuals and seeing them flourish as a subsidiary of an Energy Drinks company and seeing them take on and beat some of the biggest automotive brands in the world.”
Red Bull CEO of Corporate Projects Oliver Mintzlaff added: “We would like to thank Christian for his exceptional work over the last 20 years.
“With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1.
“Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history."
