Karun Chandhok reveals internal tensions behind Christian Horner’s departure

According to former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports analyst Karun Chandhok, there were early indications of internal turmoil that led to Christian Horner’s departure from his position as CEO and team principal of Red Bull Racing.

“There were signs in the Austria paddock that the friction that emerged in Bahrain last year was still ongoing,” revealed Chandhok in the Sky Sports F1 podcast.

Internal team divisions became apparent following Red Bull GmbH’s investigation into Horner — regarding allegations from a female employee which he denied and was later cleared of.

The situation became complicated with the emergence of two different camps:

• The Verstappen and Helmut Marko camp from the Austrian side
• The Thai side supporting Christian Horner

Tensions escalated when rumors circulated that Max Verstappen was in talks with Mercedes team. “There was discussion whether it would come down to a choice between keeping Horner or keeping Verstappen,” added Chandhok.

Despite leading Red Bull Racing for two decades, Horner’s position as a non-shareholder — unlike Toto Wolff at Mercedes — was considered a crucial factor in the team owners’ decision to end their collaboration.