Alpine may snub Christian Horner after he made ‘unacceptable’ comments about their owners

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Christian Horner is already being linked with team principal roles at rival F1 teams after he was sacked by Red Bull. It’s unclear at this stage whether he’ll come back to the sport, or how long a break he might take.

But it won’t be long before Horner is fielding enquiries, if they haven’t already. While his regime at Red Bull unravelled, he’s one of the sport’s most successful team bosses, with eight drivers’ titles and six constructors’ crowns on his list of honours.

Though he remains a Red Bull employee, Horner has escaped a qualifying clause in his contract, which means a move is possible in the near future. Of course, not every project on the grid will appeal.

Alpine have been linked with Horner already, and though they’re bottom of the championship, there’s reason to be optimistic about their future. They will use Mercedes engines, widely believed to be the best in class, from 2026 onwards.

Christian Horner’s criticism of Renault could hurt his Alpine chances

Alpine will no longer be a works team, but they will still be owned by Renault. The French giants own 76% of the team, having sold a 24% stake to a consortium of athletes and celebrities in 2023.

The departure of CEO Luca de Meo has added to the uncertainty around Alpine’s future. But if Horner were in charge, they would arguably be more attractive to potential buyers.

However, Sky Sports raise a potential obstacle – Horner’s tense relationship with Renault when they supplied Red Bull. The partnership began in 2007 and lasted until the transition to Honda in 2019.

While Sebastian Vettel won four championships in that time, Horner was furious with the company’s underperformance after the introduction of the V6 hybrid in 2014. He repeatedly made scathing comments in public, calling Renault’s efforts ‘unacceptable’ after the Austrian GP that year (via BBC Sport).

Christian Horner would find one Alpine team member ‘impossible’ to work with

Horner’s past comments may not be a disqualifier, but there could be lasting ill-feeling within the Renault ranks. Another issue concerns the current hierarchy at the team.

Alpine have just appointed Steve Nielsen as managing director following the departure of Oliver Oakes. He reports to Flavio Briatore, who oversees big picture decisions – like the move to Mercedes power and the recent Jack Doohan/Franco Colapinto swap.

As noted by The Race, it’s ‘impossible’ to imagine Horner working under Briatore. The 74-year-old may have to step back in order to facilitate his arrival.

Indeed, Horner held onto extensive power at Red Bull and is likely to demand as broad a remit as possible at any new team. Naturally, Renault will be inclined to evaluate Nielsen before considering an approach.