Christian Horner has been handed a whopping £80 million ($163m) payout to leave Red Bull.
And the incredible deal means he’s free to return to F1 as early as next year.
The 51-year-old is gearing up to a speedy return to the grid, given his initial £110m settlement for his contract which ran until 2030 would have delayed this.
Horner was sacked in July after a run of woeful results and one-year on from a ‘sexting’ scandal in which he was accused of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ towards a female colleague – which he was twice cleared of.
The 51-year-old served the longest reign as a team principal in F1 with 20 years at Red Bull, overseeing eight driver’s titles and six constructor’s trophies.
He said: “Yesterday, I was informed by Red Bull that operationally I would no longer be involved with the business or the team moving forward.
“It came as a shock to myself. I’ve had a chance to reflect over the last 12 hours and wanted to stand in front of all of you to break this news and to express my gratitude to each and every single member of the team that has given so much during the last 20-and-a-half years.
“When I arrived 20 years ago, there were a few less grey hairs. I walked into a team and did not know what to expect but I was immediately welcomed and we started to build what became a powerhouse in F1.
“Watching and being part of this team, has been the biggest privilege of my life.”
Horner reportedly was given no reason for his sacking, and was replaced by Laurent Mekies, who stepped up from sister squad Racing Bulls.
The news came after huge speculation surrounded Max Verstappen’s future with Mercedes linked at the time.Horner’s time at Red Bull was tarnished after screenshots of alleged WhatsApp messages between him and an employee were leaked anonymously the day after a three-week investigation, carried out externally, cleared the 51-year-old of all allegations.
Rumours have been swirling that he is now looking to invest in an F1 team.
Alpine has been touted as a possible destination due to his friendship with executive adviser Flavio Briatore.
Briatore could act as an investor to back Horner’s bid, alongside ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone who was removed from F1 CEO in 2017 after Liberty Media took over.
Briatore has denied any chance of it happening any time soon.
He said: “I’m not considering in this moment anything,
“Christian is not in F1 in this moment anymore,
“I hope he comes back soon, but for the moment he’s not in the picture of Alpine.”
Horner, who married Spice Girl Geri Halliwell in 2015, was estimated to have a net worth of £50m in 2024.