Christian Horner Tipped For F1 Return in Bombshell Team Ownership Role

Newsweek

4 days ago

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Former Formula One driver and Sky Sports F1 reporter Martin Brundle has revealed that Christian Horner will likely return to the sport in a "part ownership or ownership role." Owning a team wholly or partly while leading it could offer Horner complete control, something he was reportedly seeking at Red Bull Racing.
Horner was dropped from the role of CEO and team principal after the British Grand Prix for reasons that are yet to be revealed. Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies was promoted to Red Bull to replace Horner.
Horner's sudden exit after a 20-year association with Red Bull shocked the F1 world. However, Brundle believes that Red Bull's Verstappen-centric approach led to Horner's departure, especially since the team's current car of the ground effect era is reportedly designed around the four-time world champion.
That could be one reason why none of Verstappen's three teammates in the last year has been able to adapt to Red Bull's challenger. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Brundle said:
Christian Horner, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing walks in the Paddock prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 27, 2025 in Spielberg, Austria.
Christian Horner, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing walks in the Paddock prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 27, 2025 in Spielberg, Austria."This is the crux of it, I think the mistake they've all made at Red Bull is allowing it to become a one-driver team.
"The tail's wagged the dog there for quite a long time. They've had some what appears to be dreadful driver decisions that had some common sense upfront, when they put a driver in who was going well somewhere else."
In addition, Horner's alleged desire to have full control of the team reportedly played against him. Brundle added:
"All of that has played out and then Christian wanting to keep hold of the overall control of the direction in every aspect."
Despite being a friend of Horner, Brundle said that the media didn't spare him when it needed answers. However, pointing out what F1 had lost, he said:
"I don't agree with everything Christian said and done, nor him me. We have completely opposite jobs in this paddock. We've given him quite a hard time from time to time on a Friday in this show.
"But we've lost a pantomime villain. I think that's really bad news for F1, because the other villains, like Zak and Toto have nobody to have a go at now. Christian's a friend of mine, and I don't do fair-weather friendships."
Brundle then opened up about Horner's potential F1 return. He said:
"I feel sorry for him, I feel bad for him, but I think he will re-emerge somewhere else in a part ownership role or ownership role."
Could Horner come back as a co-owner with one of the teams on the grid? The former team boss has been linked to the Alpine F1 team, especially given his friendship with Alpine's executive advisor, Flavio Briatore.
BBC Sport reported that around 20% of Alpine's shareholdings are up for sale, a potential option for Horner if he wanted to return as a co-owner. This could be possible, especially after the exit of former Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes.
Although the Enstone-based team hired Steve Nielsen as managing director, who starts in September, Horner still has strong backing through his experience at Red Bull to demand a large amount of control at Alpine.
Having ceased its engine operations, Alpine becomes a Mercedes customer team in 2026, when F1 enters a new era of regulations. However, it remains to be seen if Horner would be interested in co-owning a team strongly linked to Mercedes, whose team principal and co-owner, Toto Wolff, has been his arch-rival.