Lewis Hamilton issues blunt response to shock Christian Horner sack

Lewis Hamilton may not have gotten along with Christian Horner, even at their first meeting in 2005, but he has wished the now former Red Bull all the best for the future.

Two decades after taking the reins at Red Bull Racing, Horner is no longer with the Milton Keynes team after being sacked in the days after the British Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton ‘neither surprised or [un]surprised’ about Christian Horner’s sacking

Red Bull Racing announced on July 9 that Horner had been “released from his operational duties” with immediate effect, replaced by former Racing Bulls team boss Laurent Mekies.

It was a bombshell announcement that brought an end to one of the most successful stints for a single team principal, after Horner guided Red Bull to eight Drivers’ Championship titles and six Constructors’.

But while many of the drivers expressed their surprise during the media day at the Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton wasn’t bothered by the seismic change.

“I don’t know,” Hamilton said when questioned on Horner’s Red Bull sacking.

“When I’m away from the race weekends, I don’t really pay attention to anything that’s going on in Formula 1 other than what’s happening within our team.

“So I was not surprised. I was just minding my own business.”

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Horner and Hamilton had a contentious relationship, most notably in 2021 when Hamilton went wheel-to-wheel with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen for the world title.

Trading blows on and off the track, Verstappen brought an end to Hamilton’s reign in circumstances that left the Briton feeling that he had been “obviously robbed.”

But while that was the death knell to any suggestion that Hamilton and Horner could one day get along, Hamilton revealed there were already issues when they met for the very first time in 2005 as Hamilton looked to secure a deal to race in GP2 in 2006.

Hamilton eventually joined ART Grand Prix and won the GP2 title before moving into Formula 1 with McLaren.

“It doesn’t change anything in my life,” he said of Horner’s sacking. “What to say? The team, it’s been incredible to see the progress.

“I sat with Christian back in 2005, I remember sitting in his office in GP2. Well, I was in Formula 3, but looking to go into GP2 for its first year, and I remember sitting with him, and I think he was Arden or something, and I won’t say we hit it off from the get-go.

“But to see his progression and his career, I think it was clearly remarkable what he did with the team, with a huge group of amazing people.

“To really run an organisation that big and that well takes talent and skill, and that’s what he brought to the team.

“So I wish him all the best.”

But while Hamilton wouldn’t be drawn on Horner’s departure from the paddock, he did say that sacking Horner for Mekies would see changes within Red Bull, but that’s to be expected.

“Of course, I think when you change CEO or someone that’s running an organisation, they come with their own formula, and more often than not make changes.

“So that’s inevitable, but that takes time.”

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