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Christian Horner had the opportunity to return to Formula 1 alongside Adrian Newey at Aston Martin but is now more likely to join Alpine, Sky Sports’ Craig Slater says.
It was previously thought that Horner had pushed hard for a position at Aston Martin when Andy Cowell’s future as team principal was called into question.
Cowell was involved in a power struggle with Newey and he lost out. Newey subsequently took over as the team boss, with Cowell reassigned to the role of chief strategic officer.
Fill in the blank: Aston Martin will finish P_ in the 2026 F1 standings
Lawrence Stroll told Aston Martin staff that Horner wouldn’t join in the short-term, but a move hasn’t been ruled out completely.
Christian Horner was offered senior position at Aston Martin
Speaking on Sky Sports News, Slater said that Horner was offered a stakeholding in Aston Martin as well as a ‘leadership role’. He is known to be seeking part-ownership, a luxury he didn’t enjoy at Red Bull.
There’s a ‘possibility’ that Newey told Stroll that he didn’t ‘need’ Horner alongside him, even though they have repaired their relationship.
During nearly 20 years together at Red Bull, Horner and Newey oversaw eight title-winning seasons.
But Newey’s first attempt at the Horner role has started poorly, with Aston Martin at risk of being the slowest team in F1 heading into round one in Australia.
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Horner could make his F1 comeback with Alpine, who will have Mercedes engines from 2026 to 2030
Slater said: “I think Adrian possibly signalled that ‘I can get on with this fine myself and I don’t need Christian Horner’.
“We do know that there was an offer made to Christian Horner to take a stakeholding in Aston Martin and to have a leadership role alongside Adrian Newey.
“The two of them have reconciled to an extent.
Why Christian Horner has until September to strike Alpine comeback deal
After the Aston Martin talks broke down, Horner is prioritising Alpine. He could buy the 24% stake currently held by Otro Capital, a consortium that includes several celebrities and high-profile athletes.
Horner, who can return to work this spring under his separation agreement with Red Bull, is under pressure to get a deal done before September for contractual reasons.
“The Alpine situation, Horner has made his approach with his business associates,” said Slater. “It’s that Otro Capital stake that is up for sale.
“There is a point in September where the way that is negotiated can change, so possibly, it needs to get done, from Horner’s side, until then.”
F1 journalist Tim Hauraney recently said that Horner’s Alpine deal is ‘on its way’. It’s unclear how, if at all, this would affect the role of executive advisor Flavio Briatore.
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