Christian Horner’s return to the Formula 1 paddock during the British GP weekend marked one year since his departure from Red Bull Racing. The former team principal stated that he misses the competition on the track but made it clear that he does not miss the politics and behind-the-scenes of the category.
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Even outside Red Bull, Horner revealed that he continues to keep in touch with several team members. According to him, maintaining these relationships has been positive, although his view of Formula 1 has changed after leaving the intense routine of leading a team.
In an interview with The Times, Horner said he still closely follows people he has worked with over the years: “I still hear from many people on the team, which is good. I missed the competition a bit, but I did not miss the politics and all the crap that exists behind the scenes. When you are fully focused on work, it is hard to have perspective, but there is much more to life than just Formula 1,” he said.
The former executive also commented on Red Bull’s evolution after his departure, now under the leadership of Laurent Mekies. In Horner’s assessment, the recovery shown by the team in the second half of last season was not a direct consequence of the leadership change.
For him, the results obtained in Formula 1 reflect processes that take many months to produce effect. Therefore, he believes that the team’s performance was already the result of work started before his departure and would have happened the same way regardless of who was in charge.
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“Usually, changes take between nine and twelve months to appear. So, everything that happened last year, even if I had been hit by a bus and not replaced, would have happened the same way,” said the former Red Bull chief.
Horner also spoke about the legacy he left at the Milton Keynes team. According to him, his work should be evaluated exclusively by the results achieved during the period he was in charge of the operation, without concern about how he will be remembered in the future.
“I can only be judged by what I did. History will decide what my legacy will be. I am not seeking praise or recognition. I am satisfied with myself for what I have accomplished,” Horner concluded.
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