Christian Horner was once the untouchable figurehead at Red Bull Racing, and the shrewd operator at the very heart of every championship strategy for nearly two decades, but that's no longer the case.
What started as whispers about internal tensions has morphed into a public spectacle, with a seemingly endless stream of drama, leaving both Horner and Red Bull facing unprecedented scrutiny.
It appeared as if everything behind the scenes had calmed down, until July 9, 2025, when Horner was relieved of his duties after 20 years in the job.
Speaking to Canadian TV network, TNS, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown gave his view: "I'm maybe [surprised by] the timing, but not the result,
"I think there's been a lot of drama there the last couple of years, and it doesn't seem like that drama has been calming down - maybe been getting worse.
"So, I'm not surprised, anytime in the middle of the season, but we're head down on our championship.
"They've got Max [Verstappen] still knocking on the door, so we've got to pay attention to that."
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Brown acknowledged Red Bull's formidable achievements under Horner's leadership, concluding with a nod to their past glories: "But, yeah, tremendous amount of success they've had."
The departure of such a prominent figure undoubtedly sent ripples through the sport, but for Brown and McLaren, the priority remains firmly on their own pursuit of glory.
Their full focus will be on this weekend's Belgium Grand Prix.