Christian Horner singles out surprise driver after Red Bull firing

Christian Horner has been spending his newly-acquired free time on social media, after being relieved of his role as Red Bull team principal this week.

The 51-year-old was fired from his position on Wednesday in a shock move, being replaced immediately by Racing Bulls boss Laurent Mekies.

READ MORE: Red Bull announce Christian Horner FIRED in shock F1 departure

Following the bombshell announcement from the Milton Keynes-based outfit, Horner has remained active on social media platform Instagram, receiving messages of thanks from across the grid and the wider world of motorsport.

As tributes rolled in from reigning champion Max Verstappen, driver Yuki Tsunoda and F1 advisor Helmut Marko, Horner singled out one Red Bull driver who enjoyed a short stint with the team at the beginning of their F1 journey.

The career of ex-F1 star Vitantonio Liuzzi is intertwined with Horner's, with the driver taking to Instagram to wish his former boss well on his next career move.

In a tribute to the departed Red Bull principal, Liuzzi wrote: "2 Amazing decades of incredible achievements like not many others in history. Still Many others to comes.

"Super Proud to have worked with you and start together our F1 Journey with @redbullracing in #2005

"Good Luck for your next Journey. Sure it’ll be another Amazing one."

Who is ex-F1 star Vitantonio Liuzzi?

Liuzzi competed in 80 grands prix across his F1 career which spanned from 2005 until the end of the 2011 season, driving for Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Force India and HRT.

The 43-year-old now serves as an FIA steward in F1, but often reflects on the most successful period of his career which came prior to his F1 debut.

In 2004, Liuzzi won his first title at the International Formula 3000 Championship with Arden, the team created and owned by Horner.

The duo's success led to Liuzzi being handed a test drive with Red Bull ahead of their official entry into F1 in 2005, when Horner was appointed the youngest team principal in the history of the sport.

What's more is that Liuzzi claims he was instrumental in convincing Red Bull co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz to sign Horner as their first F1 boss, with the pair continuing to work together in Red Bull's maiden year in the sport.

Having demonstrated great potential early on in his career, Liuzzi was handed the unusual role of alternate F1 driver, which saw he and Christian Klien share the second Red Bull seat alongside David Coulthard at the start of the 2005 season.

Liuzzi raced for the team alongside Coulthard at rounds four to seven in the 2005 championship, before Klien resumed for the rest of the season.

Nevertheless, the Italian is clearly proud of the foundations he helped build alongside Horner at Red Bull before being dropped to their junior outfit, even if it meant he never got to step on the F1 podium.

READ MORE: Max Verstappen says former Red Bull teammate 'good choice' for Cadillac F1 project

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