Winning Formula

Red Bull Racing Formula One Team Principal Christian Horner is a man on a mission

- By Nicolas Stecher

In November of 2004 an upstart Red Bull—at the time mainly known for an effervescent energy drink spreading like wildfire across the globe— bought the struggling Jaguar Formula 1 Team. Eager to throw their silver can into the pinnacle of motorsports, Red Bull Racing was born. Only a couple of months later RBR tapped a relative unknown named Christian Horner to run its team, making the 31-year-old the youngest Team Principal in the sport’s history. While the stodgy world of Formula One snickered at the idea that a fizzy drinks company could come and compete with the old school giants of Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and company, RBR and Horner believed they could change the world. They notched their first podium in only their second year, capped off with a naked Horner famously leaping into the Red Bull pool with only a Superman cape to cover his assets.