Christian Horner deal to join Alpine ‘on its way’ ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season

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Former Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner could be closing in on a return to the Formula 1 paddock with Alpine.

The 2026 Formula 1 season starts next weekend at the Australian Grand Prix, and hopes are far higher within the Alpine camp than before the winter break.

After finishing bottom of the constructors’ championship in 2025, Alpine are benefiting from becoming a Mercedes customer team based on the first glimpses of the car from pre-season testing.

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However, there was a similar level of positivity after testing last year, only for Alpine to discover that the Bahrain circuit suited their car better than any other track on the calendar.

Alpine’s ownership is another topic of discussion in the paddock, with Christian Horner linked with a minority takeover for some time.

READ MORE: Who is Christian Horner? All you need to know from Red Bull to net worth

Christian Horner joining Alpine ‘pretty much on its way’ ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season

Journalists Nelson Valkenburg and Tim Hauraney were discussing Alpine on the Nailing the Apex Podcast.

They believed that Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto’s team are in a fight with Haas to be at the top of the midfield this year, and Valkenburg said: “How long before instability hits that team again? I don’t know.

“I think Gasly will bring it from week to week, though.”

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Hauraney replied: “Well, I mean, there are rumours that Christian Horner’s coming in to buy them.

“And from things that I’ve heard, I mean, it sounds like that’s pretty much on its way.

“It’s whether or not Otro Capital is going to sell.”

Valkenburg concluded: “The only thing is that may add stability from where they’re coming now is to have someone with something to prove, but also with something under his belt and who is not as rash as Flavio is. That could actually help the team quite well.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Franco Colapinto ‘under pressure’ from Flavio Briatore to save his seat at the Australian Grand Prix

After failing to score a point in 2025, Colapinto will know that he needs to perform better to avoid being the latest driver to fall victim to Flavio Briatore’s lack of patience.

The arrival of Horner could give Colapinto more time, although Red Bull’s record when it comes to giving drivers time is almost as bad as Briatore’s.

Journalist Julianne Cerasoli shared what she had heard about Colapinto’s chances and said: “He had most of last year to add to his experience. Let’s remember he did F3, and he did half of a season in F2. He went straight to F1.

“So, it wasn’t going to be easy for Colapinto anyway. But now, he has this season under his belt, and he stopped crashing as much. He’s a very quick driver but not very consistent.

“He had the time to be consistent, and he will be under pressure from the first race because it’s very clear from Briatore that’s the way he’s going.”

Valkenburg added: “I think he will be helped by the change in regulation because his inconsistency was not helped by the on-and-off again nature of last year’s downforce.

“Very on a knife’s edge, very changeable from mid to high speed corners.

“I think they will benefit massively from running the Mercedes gearbox. That was a problem last year, the gearbox situation at Alpine.”

Alpine have been tipped to potentially steal a podium at the first race in Melbourne, and if it were Colapinto who secured that result, then his future would be safe for a very long time.

However, his immediate priority needs to be to end his current pointless streak.