The internet is celebrating Christian Horner's sudden exit from Red Bull Racing
Christian Horner is out at Red Bull Racing, and the internet is eating it up.
In a move that shocked the Formula 1 world, Red Bull announced Wednesday that Horner had been relieved of his duties as CEO and team principal of Red Bull Racing "with effect from today," according to the New York Times. The announcement was swift and sterile, thanking Horner for his "tireless and exceptional work" over the last 20 years.
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Red Bull driver and four-time world drivers' champion Max Verstappen also took to social media to thank Horner. "From my first race win, to four world championships, we have shared incredible successes," he wrote.
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But online, the response was anything but polite.
Within minutes of the news breaking, F1 Twitter (or rather, F1 X) exploded with memes and celebratory posts. "HORNER FINALLY OUT," one fan posted on X with a celebratory GIF from the F1 movie. Another posted, "me liking every tweet about christian horner getting sacked," with a humorous GIF of F1 driver Pierre Gasly.
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The reaction is a bit of schadenfreude. Horner had long been a polarizing figure in the paddock, and the last 18 months at Red Bull have only heightened scrutiny. An internal investigation into allegations of controlling and inappropriate behavior, a mass exodus of senior staff, and rumors of internal power struggles all contributed to what many fans saw as an inevitable downfall. Although Horner was cleared of the claims, the stain on his image remained.
For these fans, Wednesday’s dismissal was long overdue. Some also saw the move as a rare instance of accountability at the highest levels of the sport, even if it arrived months after initial investigations into Horner's conduct concluded.
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Fans also speculated about Verstappen's future with the team, as there have been numerous reports about a potential move to Mercedes in the 2026 season. One fan asked on X, "the question is did horner get sacked to stop max from leaving or did he get sacked because max is leaving."
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Others simply basked in the drama — and in the sheer fact that this marks the first time in 18-year-old Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli's entire life that Horner isn't at the helm of Red Bull Racing. A reminder of just how long his reign lasted.
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One era ends, the memes roll on, and let's just hope the Netflix cameras are rolling.
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Crystal Bell is the Culture Editor at Mashable. She oversees the site's coverage of the creator economy, digital spaces, and internet trends, focusing on how young people engage with others and themselves online. She is particularly interested in how social media platforms shape our online and offline identities.
She was formerly the entertainment director at MTV News, where she helped the brand expand its coverage of extremely online fan culture and K-pop across its platforms. You can find her work in Teen Vogue, PAPER, NYLON, ELLE, Glamour, NME, W, The FADER, and elsewhere on the internet.
She's exceptionally fluent in fandom and will gladly make you a K-pop playlist and/or provide anime recommendations upon request. Crystal lives in New York City with her two black cats, Howl and Sophie.
