Red Bull team principal Christian Horner took to Instagram on Tuesday to reveal that his family’s beloved dog, Margo, had sadly died.
It’s certainly a horrible way for the Briton’s summer break to start, given the huge hole that is left in a family following the loss of a beloved pet.
Horner and his wife, Spice Girls singer Geri Horner, both posted tributes to Margo on Instagram, with the Red Bull boss having shared a photo of a familiar face.
One of the photos which Horner posted included retired four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel, who raced for the Milton Keynes-based team from 2009-2014.
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Vettel is seen holding Margo in one of the photos, whom the Horner family had for 11 years.
“Dogs are such a big part of the family and today we unfortunately had to say goodbye to Margo after 11 years,” Horner wrote on Instagram.
“Thank you Margo for being the kindest and gentlest furry friend.”
With the summer break not concluding until the end of August, Horner will have time at home with the family, to grieve the loss of Margo.
The 49-year-old has been having a simple season in F1 terms so far in 2023, with Red Bull having won every race.
Nobody has been able to stop the Austrians or reigning World Champion Max Verstappen.
Verstappen has won 10 of the 12 completed races in 2023, something which has seen him build a 125-point lead in the Drivers’ Championship.
Due to the Dutchman’s dominance, Red Bull lead the Constructors’ Championship by a mammoth 256 points.
The two-time World Champion is in a complete league of his own, with him currently being on a run of eight consecutive wins.
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Given that the summer break will conclude at the Dutch driver’s home race, he’s heavily favoured to claim a ninth consecutive win.
The Dutch Grand Prix has been a successful venue for Verstappen since it returned to the calendar in 2021, as he’s won the last two races at Zandvoort.
A third consecutive win at his home race would further extend his huge lead in the championship and move him even closer to another world title.