Christian Horner posts touching tribute after receiving heartbreaking news

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has taken to social media to announce the death of his pet dog Margo.

The 49-year-old posted an image of the 11-year-old Airedale Terrieron Instagram on Tuesday with the accompanying message: “Dogs are such a big part of the family and today we unfortunately had to say goodbye to Margo after 11 years.

“Thank you Margo for being the kindest and gentlest fury [sic] friend.”

Christian Horner bids farewell to beloved pup

Horner added a tearful emoji to his post and later shared a couple of personal snaps to the platform’s Stories function.

The first was a video of the dog being cuddled by Horner’s wife, the former Spice Girls star Geri Horner, on a wooden floor seemingly at the couple’s home.

The second showed Margo being embraced by a smiling Sebastian Vettel, a family friend and the winner of four consecutive World Championships for Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, in a kitchen.

Red Bull’s reigning double World Champion, Max Verstappen, was among those to offer condolences, positing a comment consisting of a tearful emoji and a heart. Verstappen’s sister Victoria also responded by liking the post.

Mrs Horner also posted her own tribute to the dog with the words: “Goodbye Margo, we love you.”

The statement was accompanied by an emoji of a broken heart, with such figures as Verstappen’s mother, Sophie Kumpen, the television and radio presenter Rylan Clark and British politician Nadine Dorries offering their sympathies in the comments section.

Mr Clark simply wrote, “NO”, with an accompanying heart emoji.

Airedale Terriers are said to possess an intelligent, friendly and outgoing temperament with an average life expectancy of 10-12 years.

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Horner personal tragedy comes after a perfect first half of the F1 2023 season for Red Bull, with the team winning all 12 races held so far.

Verstappen claimed his eighth consecutive victory at last month’s Belgian Grand Prix, with Red Bull extending their record-breaking run to 13 – a run that began at the 2022 season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Red Bull are aiming to become the first team in F1 history to win every race in a single season, with the campaign set to recommence at Verstappen’s home race at Zandvoort later this month.

Verstappen is only course to win a third straight World Championship and leads team-mate Sergio Perez by 125 points with 10 rounds remaining, with Red Bull 256 points ahead of second-placed Mercedes in the Constructors’ standings.

Horner is the longest-serving team principal in the paddock having been in charge of each of Red Bull’s 360 grand prix appearances since 2005.

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