Two more leading figures leave Red Bull alongside Christian Horner

Christian Horner has been joined by two senior management figures in departing Red Bull, RacingNews365 can confirm.

The news of Horner's bombshell exit dropped on Wednesday morning, ending his 20-year reign as team principal after overseeing the rise of an organisation into an F1 powerhouse that won eight drivers' championships and six constructors' titles during his tenure.

It is now known that Horner addressed the Red Bull factory personally after being informed on Tuesday afternoon by the Red Bull board he would be leaving with immediate effect, apparently breaking down in tears as he did so.

Multiple sources, with good knowledge of the situation, have relayed to RacingNews365 that Horner is not the only person to have departed the team's headquarters at Milton Keynes.

Paul Smith, pictured above with Horner, has been relieved of his duties as director of communications and social media of Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Technology.

Smith was viewed as Horner's right-hand man, notably helping to steer him through the murky communicative waters that swirled around the Briton last year after he faced accusations of inappropriate conduct from a female employee at Red Bull. He was cleared after internal and external investigations.

In addition, Oliver Hughes has left his role as group chief marketing and commercial officer. Hughes was with Red Bull for eight and a half years, starting as head of marketing before becoming chief marketing officer, and then on to his latest role he only started in June last year.