Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing following an investigation, however the controversy prompted internal instability at Red Bull with calls for him to step down from his role.
Moreover, Red Bull then had to contend with the decline in pace of their car, as their rivals McLaren and Ferrari outpaced them and eventually finished higher in the constructors’ championship.
Will Horner step down from Red Bull?
In addition to Red Bull’s drop in performance throughout 2024, the team also lost major figures Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley, who have both departed for rival teams Aston Martin and Sauber.
Despite all of their problems in 2024, Red Bull won the drivers’ title with Max Verstappen in what was one of his toughest title fights.
When asked if he thought of resigning during Red Bull’s difficulties in 2024, Horner issued a defiant update where he claimed he never considered leaving the team.
“I’ve never, ever had that thought cross my mind, to be honest with you,” he said to PlanetF1.com.
“There’s a very exciting next chapter coming up with Red Bull Powertrains – it’s the biggest challenge we’ve taken on in the 20 years that we’ve been in the sport. I think the next chapter is potentially one of the most exciting chapters.