Two drivers Christian Horner could realistically sign if he sets up own F1 team after Red Bull exit

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Christian Horner is looking for a way back into the Formula 1 paddock after finalising his exit from Red Bull, and he might even make it by putting a 12th team on the grid.

F1 has not boasted a grid of 12 teams since the 2012 season when Caterham, Marussia and HRT were all still part of the paddock. F1 has not even had 11 squads since the 2016 season when Haas debuted. But the grid will return to 11 teams in 2026 with the arrival of Cadillac.

Yet even with 11 teams on the 2026 F1 grid, there may still not be a place in the paddock for Horner to make his comeback after leaving Red Bull. The 51-year-old was removed from his roles as their F1 CEO and team principal in July, before finalising his departure in September.

Haas will no longer meet with Horner, who recently approached the American crew about a possible role at the team. Also, Lawrence Stroll has no plans for Horner to join Aston Martin in any capacity, with the Briton looking to own shares in the next F1 team that he takes over.

Likewise, Alpine are not currently interested in Horner, as Renault has just offered executive adviser Flavio Briatore one more year to turn the Enstone squad around. So, Horner setting up his own team could actually now prove to be his easiest route back into the F1 paddock.

Christian Horner has held preliminary talks about establishing a 12th F1 team

The Race recently reported that Horner has already held preliminary talks about establishing his own F1 team. The native of Leamington Spa has big backers behind his quest to return to F1, and his commercial nous plus experience at Red Bull may make creating a team possible.

READ MORE: All to know on sacked Red Bull team principal Christian Horner with net worth

Horner may need around £750m to build his own F1 team, as it would likely cost him around £375m to establish a new team and get the team to the level required. The current F1 teams would also demand more than the £337m that Cadillac paid to let a 12th team join the field.

General Motors agreed to pay a $450m (£337m) anti-dilution fee to land its Cadillac brand a slot on the 2026 F1 grid. Cadillac’s entry fee was shared among the existing 10 F1 teams to compensate them for any future loss of prize money due to the grid expanding to 11 brands.

Horner does not have the money to build a new team on his own, so he would be relying on leading a consortium and bringing in big sponsors. Additionally, it is unlikely that any new F1 team would be ready before at least 2028, when Horner could even target two top drivers…

Christian Horner wanted to sign Carlos Sainz as Red Bull’s Sergio Perez replacement

As Horner would be unlikely to bring a new team to the paddock before the 2028 F1 season, should that be the route the Briton ultimately explores, he could look to sign Carlos Sainz for his outfit. The 31-year-old will still have years left in him and would add valuable experience.

READ MORE: Williams star Carlos Sainz’s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height

Sainz only joined Williams ahead of the 2025 F1 season on a multi-year contract after Ferrari released the Spaniard. Yet Sainz’s £7.5m a year Williams contract is only certain to run to the end of 2026, with an option to stay in Grove for the 2027 term and another option for 2028.

Horner had wanted Red Bull to sign Sainz for the 2025 season, as the Milton Keynes natives looked to replace Sergio Perez. But he backed away from pursuing the Madrid native so that it did not annoy Max Verstappen, with Liam Lawson initially made Perez’s successor instead.

Sainz can be a realistic option for Horner’s own F1 team in 2028, though, if Williams cannot hand the four-time Grand Prix winner a race-winning car or he fails to find a seat with a top outfit again. Horner can then draw on Sainz’s experiences at McLaren, Ferrari and Williams.

Esteban Ocon could give Christian Horner’s F1 team Grand Prix-winning experience

Current Haas star Esteban Ocon could also be another realistic target for a Horner F1 Team in 2028. The 29-year-old joined Haas for the 2025 F1 season on an initial two-year contract after Alpine released him. Ocon’s contract at Haas can make him an ideal target for Horner.

READ MORE: Haas driver Esteban Ocon’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Like Sainz, Ocon can offer Horner his experiences with F1 manufacturer teams, having been at Alpine for five years (including the team’s final year under the Renault name in 2020). He was also a reserve driver for Mercedes in 2019, when they dominated both championships.

Additionally, Ocon won the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix for Alpine, which so far remains his only F1 race win and the Enstone outfit’s only win since they rebranded from Renault. The Evreux native has also secured one Grand Prix podium finish in four of his nine years in F1.