Christian Horner 'on the verge of being SACKED by Red Bull', report claims - as they 'draw up list of successors'

Christian Horner's reign arsenic Red Bull's pit brag could beryllium rapidly drafting to a close, according to reports from Austria. 

With Horner astatine the helm, Red Bull person won six Formula One Constructors' Championships, with the team's drivers winning the World Championship connected six occasions since 2005. 

His broadside person dominated the past 4 years of the sport, though the backmost extremity of the 2024 play saw McLaren look arsenic genuine contenders, and this twelvemonth Red Bull person been outclassed by the British side. 

So far, Red Bull person lone won 1 contention - the Japanese Grand Prix - portion McLaren drivers Lando Norris (one) and Oscar Piastri (four) person won the different five. 

Worse still, advisor Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen, whose aboriginal is besides acold from certain, some expressed concerns implicit the level of show the car is capable to nutrient astatine times during the season.

Now, reports are claiming that Red Bull could adjacent portion ways with Horner aft the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix astatine Imola.  

It comes aft a hard spell connected a idiosyncratic level for Horner, who successful 2024 was accused by a pistillate worker of 'coercive behaviour', accusations helium has ever denied.

In an interior war, the Austrian broadside of the institution headed by Mark Mateschitz, lad of the vigor portion company's laminitis Dietrich, were believed to privation Horner out. The Englishman was seen arsenic trying to prehend excessively overmuch powerfulness successful the aftermath of Dietrich's decease successful 2022. The Verstappens were inclined to this camp.

Horner, however, maintained the enactment of the Thai extremity of the business, Dietrich's chap Red Bull founder, Chalerm Yoovidhya. He remained 51 per cent co-owner of the wider company, arsenic opposed to its F1 derivative, Red Bull GmbH.

According to oe24, Red Bull person already been discussing imaginable successors specified arsenic erstwhile Alpine boos Oliver Oakes, who lone precocious near his relation there.

Similarly, Franz Tost - who led Red Bull's 2nd squad connected the grid for galore years - is besides thought to beryllium considered should a mid-season shake-up instrumentality place. 

Interestingly Tost's departure from the inferior squad came amid clashes with Horner, having near Formula One aft 18 years successful the athletics with Toro Rosso and aboriginal Alpha Tauri. 

During his clip successful this role, Tost worked alongside aboriginal champions Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel, arsenic good arsenic Daniel Ricciardo.