Purple Bull has fired long-time CEO and group principal Christian Horner with speedy impact.
Horner has been in cost at Purple Bull for the previous 20 years, ever because it entered the game as a brand new constructor again in 2005. Nonetheless, a Purple Bull spokesperson confirmed to RACER that “Purple Bull has launched Christian Horner from his operational duties with impact from at this time (Wednesday, July 9, 2025).”
Purple Bull has appointed Laurent Mekies as CEO of Purple Bull Racing, with the Racing Bulls group principal being changed in his earlier position by Alan Permane.
Horner confronted off-track investigations into his habits in direction of an worker final 12 months, and on-track the group has slipped from competitiveness over the previous 18 months. Regardless of Max Verstappen successful final 12 months’s drivers’ championship, the group completed third within the 2024 constructors’ standings and is presently fourth behind McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes, whereas Verstappen can also be 69 factors adrift of Oscar Piastri on this 12 months’s title battle.
There have additionally been numerous high-profile departures within the type of Adrian Newey to Aston Martin and former sporting director Jonathan Wheatley to Sauber as group principal.
The choice to take away Horner brings to an finish the longest reign of a presently serving group principal, with Purple Bull having received eight drivers’ championships, six constructors’ titles, and 124 races in his time in cost.
“We wish to thank Christian Horner for his distinctive work over the past 20 years,” Oliver Mintzlaff, Purple Bull CEO of company initiatives and investments, mentioned. “Along with his tireless dedication, expertise, experience and modern pondering, he has been instrumental in establishing Purple Bull Racing as one of the profitable and enticing groups in System 1.
“Thanks for the whole lot, Christian, and you’ll eternally stay an vital a part of our group historical past.”
Horner’s departure comes at a time when there was important hypothesis over the way forward for Verstappen, who has been linked with a transfer to Mercedes as early as 2026. The Dutchman has performance-based clauses in his contract that might enable him to maneuver previous to the top of his present deal that runs till 2028, and Mercedes is believed to be well-placed in the case of the event of subsequent 12 months’s energy unit rules.
Mekies is promoted from Racing Bulls having been group principal throughout his second spell there since early 2024, becoming a member of from Ferrari the place he was deputy group principal and racing director. Previous to that he labored on the FIA, rising to change into deputy race director, and had began his F1 profession at Arrows in 2001, happening to affix Minardi earlier than its takeover and rebranding as Toro Rosso.
