Former Red Bull director issues 'DUMB' defence in Horner discussion

A former Red Bull technical chief has come to the defence of Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing's embattled team principal, amidst mounting pressure on the Brit.

Despite a turbulent season and growing speculation surrounding Horner’s future, ex-F1 team boss Guenther Steiner insists that Red Bull should stand by their long-serving leader, insisting that the Briton who has led the team to three consecutive drivers' championships 'didn’t become dumb overnight'.

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Speaking to GPBlog, the former Haas F1 team principal argued that Horner deserves more time to turn things around, pointing out that sudden changes in leadership can sometimes do more harm than good.

"As soon as things don’t go well, people start pointing fingers. I think Christian should be given the chance," Steiner, who worked at Red Bull between 2005 and 2008 as technical operations director, stated.

"It’s not my team, so the shareholders will know what they’re doing, but I don’t think he should be written off so easily."

Horner and Red Bull's season of struggles

This year has been anything but smooth for Horner, whose tenure has been clouded by controversy. Red Bull faced off-track issues, including an internal power struggle with top advisor Helmut Marko, and earlier in the season, allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Horner which he was cleared of by an internal investigation.

On the track, the team has seen its dominance fade, currently sitting second in the constructors' championship behind McLaren.

Lando Norris is now hot on Max Verstappen's heels in the drivers' championship, putting further pressure on Red Bull's leadership.

However, Steiner dismissed the idea that Horner’s performance has suddenly declined, pointing to the team’s recent success.

"Christian hasn’t suddenly become a bad team principal," Steiner remarked.

"He didn’t become dumb overnight. Yes, they’re a bit behind right now, but they’re not at the back of the grid. They’re still one of the top teams."

Steiner also acknowledged the growing unrest within Red Bull, which has been widely reported in the press.

He noted that while internal conflicts are undeniable, Horner should not be scapegoated for the team's current position.

"It’s clear there are issues at the team – we can’t deny that. It’s in the news every day," he said.

"But unless they achieve quick, big successes again, something might change."

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Despite Red Bull’s slip in performance, Steiner believes that making rash decisions would be premature.

He emphasised that without full insight into the team’s inner workings, it’s difficult to assess the situation from the outside.

"When you don’t know all the details, it’s hard to make decisions from the outside," he concluded.

Horner has been at the helm of Red Bull Racing since 2005 and is widely regarded as one of the most successful team principals in F1.

Under his leadership, the team has won multiple constructors' world championships, with Verstappen’s title wins further cementing his legacy.

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