Christian Horner has the perfect alternative to Aston Martin as F1 team could now sell £900m stake

Follow us on Google Discover

Christian Horner will not be joining Adrian Newey at Aston Martin after Lawrence Stroll denied any rumours at the Qatar Grand Prix.

It leaves the Briton, who can’t officially work for another team until April 2027 thanks to an agreement with Red Bull, to look elsewhere.

Horner isn’t just looking for a new job, though. He would also like a stake in any team that he moves to, which limits his options.

An Aston Martin reunion would’ve made sense, given his connection to Newey, but they’re not entertaining anything ahead of the 2026 F1 regulations.

Stroll told staff Horner wasn’t joining, and also indicated that a factory tour didn’t occur, as some might have suggested.

Horner is in ‘ongoing’ talks with Alpine, who could offer him a role that suits him a lot more, but they don’t seem as invested in the future as some of their rivals.

READ MORE: Christian Horner not expected to join Aston Martin ‘in a million years’ for very ‘awkward’ reason

Christian Horner could swoop for £900m stake in Alpine as shares made available

F1 fans told Aston Martin not to hire Horner over fears that his relationship with Newey hadn’t healed well since their split last year.

Although being away from the paddock for the first time may be relaxing, with the 52-year-old not having to do anywhere near as much travelling, it sounds like he’s itching to return already.

Formula 1 is in a new era of team principals, though. As crazy as it sounds, he fits more into the old-fashioned mould.

Not as concerned with the engineering side of things, Horner is more of a natural leader than anything. That’s what makes his next move particularly interesting.

According to Joe Saward’s Green Notebook, Alpine shareholder Otro Capital could be willing to part with a 24% stake, valued at £900m.

It feels like a steep price to pay, but there remains a lot of demand at the moment. Those selling have an advantage, and it’s more up to the likes of Horner as to whether he wants to pay that much.

READ MORE: Adrian Newey’s first hire as Aston Martin boss suggests Christian Horner could still join the team

Should Christian Horner wait a little longer before making his next F1 move?

With vulnerabilities around the grid, it might be wise for Horner to wait just a little longer before jumping into his next project.

Ferrari’s Fred Vasseur is under a little pressure and could be vulnerable if Ferrari have a poor start to the 2026 season.

Hiring Horner would make sense, but would he be able to get any shares in the team? That feels like the more difficult aspect of it.

Things could unfold elsewhere, too, but it feels like wherever he goes, he’s going to be taking on a mammoth project. It’s going to be a big build for him.