Laurent Mekies, the boss of sister team Racing Bulls, will replace Horner, who has been with the team since its inception in 2005 and led it to 124 wins and numerous championships.

Bernie Ecclestone bluntly stated that his friend Christian Horner was an “idiot” in relation to the investigation against him for alleged inappropriate behaviour. Failing to act his age in Ecclestone’s opinion – the former F1 supremo suggesting Horner “thought he was 20” – the investigation serves as a potential contributing factor behind Red Bull’s decision to release Horner with immediate effect a year-and-a-half later.