Christian Horner addresses “pretty sharp” digs from rival F1 team bosses

Christian Horner has commented on the “pretty sharp” remarks from his rival F1 team bosses as hostilities get set to renew.

The Red Bull boss was told last season by McLaren’s Zak Brown that his staff were sending out their CVs and trying to get new jobs, in the wake of Adrian Newey’s resignation.

Mercedes’ Toto Wolff also spent parts of 2024 publicly courting Max Verstappen.

"You have to remember that we came off a season where we didn't just dominate, we annihilated the opposition in 2023, and won 22 of 23 races,” Horner told Goodwood.

“I've said it before, but the higher you rise, the sharper the knives, and they got pretty sharp at some points during 2024.

“But when there is so much at stake, other teams will use whatever tools they have to try and destabilise what has been a hugely successful team."

Horner was also cleared after an investigation into his behaviour, when a Red Bull staff member made accusations against him.

Jos Verstappen, his star driver’s father, called for Horner’s exit from the team.

There was reportedly a power play within Red Bull - between the Austrian side of the business and its Thai shareholders - with Horner in the middle.

"You have to be pretty thick skinned in this business, and you just have to keep focused on your beliefs and commitments,” Horner said.

“We have a tremendous workforce, we have tremendous loyalty within the workforce, and passion for what people do.

“Without that passion, you wouldn't achieve the kind of results that we have."

Christian Horner vows to 'do things better in the future'

He added: "You're always learning in life, always applying lessons.

“The day you think you know it all, or you're not learning, is the day you're going backwards. 

“It's the same in life, it's the same with the car, it's the same with everything, that you're always learning, always applying lessons that you've learned to try and do things better in the future."

Horner also had to deal with Red Bull’s dominance of F1 waning in 2024.

McLaren’s car became faster, and they overtook Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, eventually winning it.

Ferrari also overhauled Red Bull in the constructors’. Horner’s team were not helped by Sergio Perez’s inability to score points, and speculation ramped up about whether Red Bull would need to axe him.

Daniel Ricciardo instead lost his seat at their sister team in a dramatic saga which saw Liam Lawson enter F1.

Horner has now replaced Perez with Lawson, alongside Verstappen who won his fourth F1 drivers’ title in a row.

Red Bull and Verstappen are expected to come under more intense pressure for both titles in 2025.