Why Christian Horner is likely to see Cadillac as not a ‘good fit’ for his F1 return after Red Bull exit

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It feels like a case of when, not if, Christian Horner returns to the Formula 1 paddock.

Christian Horner was in charge of Red Bull for more than two decades before his exit was confirmed after this season’s British Grand Prix.

Laurent Mekies was confirmed as Horner’s successor at Red Bull and has to negotiate all of the same challenges as the 51-year-old with a new era of Formula 1 on the horizon.

F1’s new regulations will also coincide with the arrival of an 11th team in the paddock.

Cadillac discovered last November that their entry into Formula 1 had been confirmed, and team principal Graeme Lowdon has been hard at work building up a team ready for next season’s Australian Grand Prix.

Cadillac are closing in on Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas as their two drivers for 2026, although nothing has been signed yet.

Interestingly, since leaving Red Bull, Horner has been linked with Cadillac, with Alpine the other team that seems like a logical fit.

However, journalists Edd Straw and Jon Noble have explained why F1’s newest team might not be a ‘good fit’ for the former Red Bull team principal if he wants to return to the paddock.

READ MORE: All to know about sacked Red Bull team principal Christian Horner with net worth

Christian Horner’s lack of control would make Cadillac a bad fit for Formula 1 return

Noble was speaking on The Race F1 Podcast and talking about Horner’s future, he said: “It’s an interesting one.

“I think from a competitive point of view, I’m sure Christian would love the prospect of building another project up from scratch.

“But one of the elements I know he is very demanding of is full control of the project, that he needs to be in control of everything, needs to be master of the entire thing.

“So, would he be a good fit for a works project with such a big influence from GM and Cadillac? That’s the bit I’m not sure about.”

Straw: “I’ll just add on Horner, I personally think wherever he ends up in Formula 1, and I’m sure he will at some stage, it’s going to be as someone who has to have a stake in the team, if you see what I mean, rather than just as an employee.”

READ MORE: All to know about General Motors’ Cadillac F1 team from engine to drivers

What must Cadillac achieve to match Red Bull’s first season in Formula 1 under Christian Horner?

There are plenty of differences between Red Bull’s first F1 campaign in 2005 and Cadillac’s maiden season next year.

Horner took over Red Bull very close to the start of the season, and while Jaguar didn’t pull up any trees in Formula 1, they were at least an established outfit on the grid.

Cadillac, on the other hand, are starting from scratch, and while they will have Ferrari power units at their disposal, Red Bull had an easier base to build from than Lowdon’s team.

Red Bull’s drivers, David Coulthard and Christian Klien, scored seven points on their debut with a P4 and P7 result, which would equate to 18 points in the modern era.

The 34 points Red Bull scored in 2005 would be converted into 98 points this year, and they finished ahead of Sauber, Jordan and Minardi in the constructors’ championship.

Cadillac’s problem is that it’s very unlikely that there will be any backmarkers on the grid for them to compete with, like Red Bull had with Minardi and Jordan.

Expectations will be low within the team, but the addition of Horner, if they give him the power he desires, could make a significant difference.