Laurent Mekies, the boss of sister team Racing Bulls, will replace Horner, who has been with the team since its inception in 2005 and led it to 124 wins and numerous championships.

The Formula 1 paddock was rocked Wednesday by the news that Christian Horner, the longtime CEO and team principal of Red Bull Racing, has been fired after a 20-year run that featured many race wins and championships with drivers like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

Amid growing rumors surrounding the future of Max Verstappen, the team opted to oust its team principal of two decades, telegraphing a major sea change ahead.