Christian Horner was paid £33.5 million by Red Bull Racing as compensation for losing his position, according to the team’s latest accounts filed at Companies House.
The former Red Bull team principal resigned last year after a controversy involving messages exchanged with a female colleague. His total income, including £4.4 million in salary received before his departure, amounted to £38 million.
The compensation payment was recorded in the accounts for 2025 as being for “loss of office”. Horner’s earnings worked out at the equivalent of about £729,000 a week.
Horner, 52, has consistently denied allegations of coercive behaviour and was cleared twice by internal Red Bull investigations. The controversy intensified after 79 screenshots of WhatsApp exchanges were circulated in an email sent to figures in Formula One before the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix.
His wife, former Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell, has publicly supported him throughout the dispute. The couple, who have three children, divide their time between homes in Oxfordshire and London.
Horner’s departure followed a power struggle within the Austrian-based team, which he had led to eight drivers’ and six constructors’ titles during two decades in charge. He had been on a reported £12 million-a-year contract.
The woman who made the allegations remained at Red Bull for several months as the controversy unfolded and later received a payment reported to be about £3 million.
In August, it emerged that she had also been released from a subsequent role in motor racing. She was reportedly told that her services were no longer required shortly before a scheduled flight to Budapest.
Her then employers declined to comment on personnel matters. It was understood that her position had ended after a new boss lost confidence in her, citing a lack of discretion.
There has been speculation that Horner could return to Formula One and seek an opportunity involving an ownership stake in a team.
His name has also been linked with Ferrari amid scrutiny of team principal Fred Vasseur. Lewis Hamilton recently described Vasseur as the right person to lead the team, while also suggesting that Ferrari’s wider structure might need to be examined.
Hamilton said: “Structure is very important and so is stability and everyone rowing in the same direction is key in any business.” He added that Vasseur had his “full backing” and was “a fantastic leader”.
