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When Christian Horner announced to the staff at Red Bull he had been dismissed by the company to whom he had dedicated 20 years of his life, he was, understandably, reduced to tears. On Monday that parting was formally sealed with a multimillion pound settlement and Horner is free to move on. It is all but impossible to imagine he will not attempt to hurl himself back into Formula One, doubtless spurred-on by having a point to make to his former employer.
On Monday Horner and Red Bull’s parent company Red Bull GmbH announced they had reached an agreement worth £80m to end his career with the team, after he had been removed from his post as team principal shortly after the British GP in July.
Horner had led Red Bull since its first season in 2005, taking them from humble beginnings to eight drivers’ and six constructors’ titles. His credentials as a team leader, for all that some dislike his style, his attitude and his singular approach to going racing, cannot be questioned. Alongside Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and Jean Todt at Ferrari, he has been the most successful team principal of this millenium.
It is understood the 51-year-old is indeed eager to return to the fray. While no details have been released, it is believed as part of his settlement his period of gardening leave could end after spring next year, after the opening flyaway rounds but before the summer. However, quite where he might be then remains moot.
Having taken his treatment by Red Bull hard, returning as an employee, subject again to the whims of the board, would understandably not be his preferred choice. He is thought to be far more interested in becoming at least a part owner of a team as well as its boss. No easy task. The days of setting up a team from scratch on a shoestring are long gone and approval for new entries are as rare as hen’s teeth and could take years.
Buying into an existing outfit would be the likely path. However, for all that his settlement was eye-wateringly large, it is nowhere near enough to go it alone. McLaren were recently valued at £3.5bn and 2024 estimates on even the underperforming Alpine, put it at $1.5bn (£1.1bn).
Buying in at the lower end of the scale would also require investment backing but would offer the chance of being at least a co-owner, similar to Wolff at Mercedes. The most attractive option in this case would be Alpine. He is close friends with Flavio Briatore, the team’s executive advisor and de-facto boss who is running it on behalf of owners Renault. Moreover they have long been an outfit underperforming given their facilities, resources, experience and personnel. Exactly the sort of environment Horner transformed to reap such success at Red Bull.
When asked about it before Horner’s settlement with Red Bull, Briatore, wily as ever, evaded the issue by noting: “Christian is not in Formula One in this moment anymore. I hope he comes back soon but, for the moment, he’s not in the picture of Alpine.” That moment has now passed and for all that Renault protest they do not want to sell the team, they no longer manufacture their own engines and their ownership now has the sense of a legacy waiting to be dealt with. A Briatore-Horner team-up also has a heady air of drama about it that the pair would doubtless adore.
Haas too could also offer a potential buy-in on a slightly cheaper scale but they do not have quite the sleeping giant promise of Alpine and would present a challenge of immense longevity.
In terms of just taking a team principal role again, Ferrari too have been suggested. John Elkann, the Ferrari chairman, admires Horner and before his dismissal he was being linked to a potential move to the Scuderia. However, since then they have renewed their contract with current team principal Fred Vasseur.
Aston Martin have also been in the frame as a destination and certainly a big name like Horner would fit the grand ambition of owner Lawrence Stroll but for one potential major stumbling block. Aston and Stroll have made no secret of their desire to sign the four-time world champion Max Verstappen.
Given the breakdown in relations between the Verstappen camp and Horner at Red Bull, in particular the acrimony from Verstappen’s father Jos toward Horner, it is impossible to imagine they would countenance joining a team with him in charge. While Verstappen remains a potential target for Aston Horner is unlikely to be worth taking the risk of alienating their prize on.
Now his deal is done Horner will surely be considering these and other options, albeit with the Alpine path seeming most likely. However he might yet also play a waiting game. With major regulation changes due next season, including new engines, there may be no little upheaval in the air by mid-2026. Teams that have adapted badly and are off the pace will be looking for fresh blood and Horner would make for an enormously enticing proposition. His time at Red Bull might have ended in turbulence but it is extremely doubtful he has lost his touch.
