Former Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner has revealed that Red Bull shareholders reached out to him by phone to express their gratitude following the maiden Formula 1 victory of the Red Bull Ford Powertrains engine. The call served as a formal acknowledgment of his foundational contribution to the team's current technical success before his departure from the Milton Keynes-based squad in July 2025.
Across two decades at the helm of the outfit, Horner not only led the operation to eight drivers' and six constructors' world championships, but he also oversaw its monumental transition from an engine customer into a fully-fledged power unit manufacturer. This strategic shift became an absolute necessity following Honda's official withdrawal from Formula 1 at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
Red Bull continued to utilize the Japanese-built power units until last year, paving the way for their in-house power unit—designed in direct collaboration with Ford—to make its highly anticipated debut for the 2026 season. The newly developed engine promptly clinched its historic first grand prix victory courtesy of reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who quickly followed it up with another dominant victory one week later.
Speaking during a conference at the Autosport Business Exchange in New York, Horner reflected on the immense scale of the engineering challenge when the team decided to build its own power unit division from scratch. He noted that after proving they could master the chassis side, the ultimate test was whether they could replicate that success within the complex engine department.
"We managed to do it on the chassis side and then the challenge came, could we do it on the engine side? You know, we needed to have an engine after Honda announced their withdrawal in 2020. So we created this start-up company called Powertrains, with the same philosophy of attracting the talent, giving people the chances and giving people the opportunity, and empowering them and encouraging them to push the boundaries," Horner explained during the event.
Horner's tireless efforts and long-term vision were formally acknowledged by the brand's leadership through the aforementioned phone call. The Briton admitted that the gesture meant a great deal to him, knowing firsthand the immense dedication, sweat, and tears invested by every single staff member involved in the multi-year engine development project.
"It was an appreciated gesture, seeing that engine and knowing what went into it, you know, the sweat and tears along the way. For all the men and women involved, it was an incredible, incredible achievement. To win a grand prix is very hard at the best times," Horner continued, expressing his gratitude to both the leadership and the technical workforce.
The celebratory phone call provided a stark and welcome contrast to the conversation Horner experienced roughly 15 months prior, which ultimately led to his abrupt dismissal from the team. His position had grown increasingly vulnerable following the passing of Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz and shifting internal dynamics involving key stakeholders.
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