Former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has revealed that team shareholders reached out to thank him following the maiden Formula 1 victory secured by the Red Bull Ford Powertrains engine. The congratulatory phone call arrived after the independent power unit project, initiated during his tenure, triumphed in Malaysia, marking a historic milestone for the Milton Keynes-based squad as they transitioned into a full-fledged engine manufacturer.
Across two decades at the helm, Horner not only led the team to eight drivers' and six constructors' world titles, but he also oversaw its critical evolution from an engine customer into a power unit manufacturer. This monumental shift became an absolute necessity following Honda's official withdrawal from Formula 1 at the conclusion of the 2021 season, prompting the organization to establish an in-house powertrain division in collaboration with American automotive giant Ford.
The newly developed Red Bull power unit claimed its first-ever Grand Prix victory in Malaysia, courtesy of stellar driving from Max Verstappen. The Dutch driver's commanding performance yielded back-to-back victories just one week later, instantly validating the immense engineering efforts and technical gamble undertaken to design and deliver a competitive power unit under the latest regulatory framework.
Speaking at a conference during the Autosport Business Exchange in New York, Horner reflected on the immense challenge of launching the powertrain division from scratch. "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 stated.
Although Horner was abruptly dismissed from his team principal role in July 2025 following shifting political dynamics after the passing of co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, he expressed immense gratitude for the acknowledgment from the brand's leadership. Receiving a phone call recognizing the sweat and tears poured into the engine project provided profound closure, serving as a vastly different conversation from the abrupt departure he experienced 15 months prior.
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