Red Bull Racing paid Christian Horner £33.494 million GBP in 2025 after deciding to sack its team principal and CEO, new documents show.
Horner was relieved of his positions at Milton Keynes on July 9th, 2025 after a 20-year success-laden period at the helm of the team, in which he had guided the team to eight drivers' and six constructors' championships and a total of 124 grand prix wins. He formally resigned as a director of Red Bull Racing Limited on August, 13th, 2025.
Red Bull GmbH, Red Bull Racing's Austrian parent company, decided to dismiss the Briton, with Laurent Mekies being brought in to assume control from sister team Racing Bulls.
In its financial submission to Companies House, a legal requirement of every British-based F1 team. and all of which have been examined by RacingNews365, the documents show that Horner, who had a contract in place until 2030, received a total of £33.494 million GBP in the remainder of the 2025 year, to December 31st, 2025.
This figure is in relation to the "highest paid director" and as "compensation for loss of office", and whilst Horner is not named directly, he was the highest-paid director at Red Bull Racing - and had earned £4.441 million GBP in salary up until his dismissal.
The figure only covers Horner's settlement from Red Bull Racing, and not Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT) or Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT), both of which he served as a director.
After his departure, it was understood that Horner had received a settlement potentially over £50 million GBP, meaning the figure of £33.494 million could rise once the 2026 accounts are filed to Companies House on September 30th, 2027, and any monies paid to Horner from Janaury 1st, 2026 are included.
It is understood that Horner in effect traded some owed monies for less gardening leave, which freed him up to make a return to F1 in 2026, if he could find a team.
Horner has made clear that if he does return to grand prix racing, he is keen for it to be as part of the ownership structure of a team, and not merely as an employee as he was at Red Bull Racing, albeit a high-profile one.
He has indicated through a recent media blitz ahead of the publication of his book later this year that he would be prepared to pause his ownership ambitions if it meant he could take on the "dream job" of Ferrari team principal in a recent 'come-and-get-me ' plea.
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Red Bull's financial figures for 2025
For Red Bull Racing itself, the documents show that the team made a strong profit of £9.384 million GBP for the 2025 financial year, a climb from a bottom-line profit of £1.681 million in 2024.
The team enjoyed turnover of £379.583 million GBP in 2025, a rise from £314.409 million GBP in 2024, which after cost of sales left Red Bull Racing with a gross profit of £104.205 million for 2025.
This was a sharp rise from £23.676 million in 2024.
After expenses and interest, this left Red Bull Racing with a profit before tax of £11.075 million in 2025, a climb from £2.895 million in 2024.
After tax was paid, it left the company with a bottom-line profit figure for 2025 of the £9.384 million GBP, a rise of £7.703 million GBP on the previous year.
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Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding as they look back on the Azerbaijan GP but also look ahead to F1's return this weekend to Malaysia! Rumours linking Christian Horner with a return to the sport is a major talking point.
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