Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
Christian Horner is intent upon returning to Formula 1 after his 20-year stint at Red Bull came to an end last summer. As per his severance agreement, Horner can return to work this spring.
Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone told Horner to turn to MotoGP, but he wants to remain in the four-wheel paddock instead. Instead of replicating his team principal role at Red Bull, he intends to acquire a stake in a team.
The doors to the F1 elite are closed for now, so Horner will have to join a midfield outfit instead or, failing that, set up his own team.
What changes would you make to our list?
Red Bull finished seventh in the championship when they made their F1 debut, but by the time he left, they had won 14 titles. He may hope to replicate that journey at another team.
Bernie Ecclestone tells Christian Horner to favour Aston Martin over Alpine for F1 return
Horner is reportedly in talks with Alpine, who finished bottom of the constructors’ standings last year. He could buy the 24% stake currently held by Otro Capital, a consortium that includes Hollywood actors and A-list athletes.
Horner’s ‘close confidante’ Flavio Briatore currently runs the Alpine team, but as revealed by F1-Insider, Ecclestone has advised the Briton not to invest.
Would you like to see Christian Horner revive his rivalry with Toto Wolff?
Horner could make his F1 comeback with Alpine, who will have Mercedes engines from 2026 to 2030
Instead, he has urged Horner to pursue a deal with Aston Martin. F1-Insider believe Otro Capital could be his partners in this venture, which suggests negotiations are multi-layered.
There was a leadership reshuffle at Aston Martin as recently as late November, when Andy Cowell became chief strategy officer and Adrian Newey took over as team principal.
Adrian Newey fears Christian Horner could jeopardise Aston Martin’s Max Verstappen chances
Horner and Newey were key architects of Red Bull’s success in the early 2010s and 2020s, but F1-Insider report that the designer has ‘little interest’ in a reunion.
While Newey has repaired his relationship with Horner, that doesn’t necessarily mean he wants to collaborate in a professional capacity again.
What’s more, Newey fears that Horner’s approach could harm Aston Martin’s prospects of signing Max Verstappen, his top target.
Verstappen says Red Bull stopped ‘functioning’ in the period leading up to Horner’s departure. While he is grateful to his former boss, he may feel that his methods no longer work.
Receive exclusive F1 news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
