Red Bull Racing Shakes Up Leadership Amid Turbulent Times

Red Bull Racing has made a big change, letting go of Christian Horner from his top roles. This move comes as the team is having a tough time on the track, struggling to keep up with other teams. Horner had been with Red Bull since 2005, leading them to many wins and championships. But lately, things haven't been going well, and the team is fourth in the standings, mostly because of Max Verstappen's strong performances. Laurent Mekies is taking over as the new CEO and team principal. He was previously leading Racing Bulls, Red Bull's sister team. Mekies has big plans and believes the team has a bright future. Alan Permane, who was the racing director, will now be in charge of Racing Bulls. Horner's time at Red Bull was marked by success, including four world championships with Sebastian Vettel and four more with Verstappen. However, this season has been tough, with McLaren leading the pack and Red Bull struggling to compete. There have also been rumors about Verstappen's future and other changes within the team. The last year and a half have seen several key people leave Red Bull, including Jonathan Wheatley and Adrian Newey. The team has also faced issues with their car, leading to poor performances and driver frustrations. Verstappen has only won two races this season, and the second Red Bull seat has seen a driver change already. There have also been off-track issues, including an investigation into allegations against Horner. The investigation was completed and the grievance was dismissed, but the employee involved was later suspended. Horner has denied the allegations. This sudden change in leadership comes as a surprise, especially with the season only halfway done. Red Bull's performance has been lacking, and the team is still figuring out how to fix their car. Verstappen had a tough race at the British Grand Prix, finishing fifth after struggling in wet conditions. The other drivers, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, have also had a hard time with the car.