Horner’s dismissal came as a total shock to Mansell, with their recent conversation providing no sign of his impending fate, and the 1992 champ fears Red Bull will take some pain on track before better days arrive. Red Bull sits fourth in the current Constructors’ Championship standings, 288 points behind runaway leaders McLaren.

The ousting of Horner — who has been replaced by French engineer Laurent Mekies, formerly head of Red Bull’s second team — comes at a critical juncture for Red Bull.