Albon surprised by Horner’s Red Bull exit: ‘He helped me a lot’

Former Red Bull driver Alex Albon paid tribute to ousted team boss Christian Horner, describing him as a key figure in his career and praising his leadership style in the wake of the Red Bull chief’s surprise dismissal earlier this month.

Horner was fired by Red Bull just days after the British Grand Prix after two decades at the helm of the Milton Keynes-based outfit during which the Briton oversaw multiple Drivers and Constructors’ titles and the totality of the team’s wins in F1.

Albon, who raced under Horner’s guidance for Red Bull Racing from mid-2019 to the end of 2020, expressed both admiration and surprise following the news of his former boss’ abrupt departure as team principal and CEO.

“Yeah, I was [surprised],” the Williams charger said on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

“[Christian is] someone who's helped me a lot in my career and obviously he's been in the sport for a long time, [had] a lot of success.

“So you could say he's built that team up, so to see him go, obviously, was a surprise.”

A Legacy of Success

Horner’s exit marks the end of a historic era at Red Bull Racing. Under his leadership, the team first dominated the early 2010s with Sebastian Vettel, and later returned to supremacy with Max Verstappen, winning four consecutive drivers' titles between 2021 and 2024.

Albon, who emerged from the Red Bull junior programme, witnessed Horner’s influence up close during a transitional period for the team, as it moved on from its partnership with Renault to a works association with Honda.

Though Albon’s own time with the senior squad was short-lived, he credited Horner with fostering an environment of continuity and excellence through a strong internal culture.

“Obviously I joined quite late into the Christian Horner kind of era,” Albon explained. “On my side, it was clear that he had his people and he brought everyone up together.

“There were a lot of long-standing members at Red Bull who were there for a long time and still are to this day as well.”

A Knack for Finding the Right People

Albon pinpointed Horner’s ability to identify and retain top talent as a central element of Red Bull’s enduring success, even as the team now faces a new period of transition following not only Horner’s exit, but also the recent departures of key technical leaders Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley.

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“He seemed to have a good knack for finding the right people and then building a good circle around, and they seem to chip away at it and very quickly get to the top,” Albon said.

“I guess that's part of the success.”

As the F1 paddock reacts to one of the most high-profile leadership shakeups in recent years, Albon’s comments reflect the high regard many drivers and insiders still hold for Horner’s long-running impact on the sport.

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