Christian Horner was sacked in July after 20 years as Red Bull’s team principal before his departure was ratified last month – and he’s wasted no time in seeking a route back into Formula 1
Former Red Bull boss Christian Horner is said to be ‘ringing up pretty much every team owner’ in an effort to make a rapid return to Formula 1. Horner, 51, was sacked by Red Bull in July before his exit was formalised last month.
The ex-team principal received a staggering £80million compensation fee, having been under contract with Red Bull for five more years. Horner had led the team since their entry into Formula 1 in 2005.
His leadership saw Red Bull win eight Drivers’ Championships; four consecutively with Sebastian Vettel from 2010 to 2013 and four with Max Verstappen from 2021 to 2024. The team also won the Constructors’ Championship six times.
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Despite Horner’s efforts, though, he’s been unable to find a route back into F1. Aston Martin were among the teams to be linked with the Brit’s services but chief executive officer Andy Cowell has poured cold water on the speculation, while he also revealed how keen Horner is to get back into the sport.
“It looks as though Christian is ringing up pretty much every team owner at the moment,” Cowell said ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday. “I can clearly say there are no plans for the involvement of Christian in an operational or investment role in the future.”
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu revealed earlier this week that Horner had ‘approached’ the US-based team over a potential role. But Komatsu made it clear that he won’t be joining them, saying: “Nothing has gone any further. It is finished.”
Williams team principal James Vowles said that his team hadn’t been contacted by Horner and suggested that they wouldn’t have an interest even if he did offer his services. “We’re very happy with the structure we have and it’s working,” Vowles affirmed. “I don’t see any reason to change from that.”
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Alpine managing director Steve Nielsen, meanwhile, commented that the French team’s executive adviser and de facto boss Flavio Briatore was ‘old friends’ with Horner. Nielsen added: “I don’t know what they talk about. Everything I know is there are no plans for Christian to come to Alpine but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.”
Horner was renowned for his commitment to F1 and never missed a single Grand Prix during his 20-year stint with Red Bull.
The 51-year-old hasn’t spoken publicly since his exit or given a media interview, but he did issue a statement upon leaving Red Bull, where he was replaced as team principal by Laurent Mekies.
“Leading Red Bull Racing has been an honour and privilege,” Horner began. “When we started in 2005, none of us could have imagined the journey ahead – the championships, the races, the people, the memories.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved as a team breaking records and reaching heights no-one would ever believe were possible and I will forever carry that with me.
“However, for me, my biggest satisfaction has been assembling and leading the most amazing group of talented and driven individuals and seeing them flourish as a subsidiary of an energy drinks company and seeing them take on and beat some of the biggest automotive brands in the world.”
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