Red Bulls team principal Horner fired after 20 title-filled years

Longtime Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was fired abruptly on Wednesday after a 20-year stint that included eight Formula I drivers' titles and a rise to celebrity status.

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Red Bull did not give a reason for the decision in a statement Wednesday, but thanked Horner for his work and said he will “forever remain an important part of our team history.”

Laurent Mekies of sister team Racing Bulls will replace Horner in his role as chief executive of the Red Bull team.

Horner had been Red Bull team principal since it entered Fl as a full constructor in 2005. He had performed his team and media duties as normal throughout the British Grand Prix last week.

His wife is Geri Halliwell - Ginger Spice of the Spice Girls - and Horner himself became a celebrity figure through his prominence on Netflix's Fl docuseries “Drive To Survive,” where his bitter rivalry with Mercedes' Toto Wolff was a key plot point. He and Fl champion Max Verstappen were booed at the season launch in London in February.