New report on Horner’s hammer in Formula 1 – Rumours surrounding a possible Formula 1 comeback for former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner are gathering momentum. Several reports suggest that Horner is exploring a return to the paddock via Alpine.
However, despite the growing speculation, a swift deal appears highly unlikely. According to the latest information, discussions may be ongoing behind the scenes, yet a concrete breakthrough remains some way off.
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Talks are underway, but…
German tabloid Bild has now confirmed the speculation that has been circulating in the paddock for weeks, also reported by this website some time ago. Horner is reportedly involved in talks linked to a potential investment in the Alpine Formula 1 team. However, Bild contradicts some more optimistic reports by stating that no agreement has been reached so far. In fact, a breakthrough is not expected until early 2026 at the earliest, assuming the negotiations continue.
A key obstacle is Horner’s current situation following his exit from Red Bull last summer. As part of his termination agreement, he is subject to a Formula 1 paddock and operational ban until the end of April 2026, AKA ‘gardening leave’. This effectively prevents him from taking on an official team role before that date, which would significantly hinder any potential return.
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German press reports on the Horner deal
Despite this restriction, it is clear that Horner’s ambitions extend beyond a simple management position. According to Bild, the British former team boss does not merely want to become Alpine’s team principal. Instead, he is said to be aiming for a dual role that would include an ownership stake in the Renault-backed factory team.
To achieve this, Horner has reportedly been sounding out potential investors in recent months and may already have secured backing.
This is where Alpine’s current ownership structure becomes particularly relevant. As previously reported by the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf and now echoed by Bild, Alpine co-owner Otro Capital is allegedly willing to sell its shares in the team. The US-based investment group currently holds a 24 percent stake in Alpine, valued at around 800 million euros.
This potential sale is notable, not least because Otro Capital only paid around 200 million euros for these shares in 2023. Any exit now would therefore represent a substantial return on investment. For Horner and his backers, this could provide a rare opportunity to buy into a Formula 1 team, albeit at a premium price.
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However, Christian Horner’s long-term objectives appear to extend well beyond a straightforward return to Formula 1 with Alpine.
As Guenther Steiner observed and this website reported on in September, Horner is indeed ‘eager to get back into F1’, but only on his own terms. These ambitions are widely believed to be centred on ownership and long-term control rather than merely occupying another team principal’s office.
In that sense, Horner is believed to admire the path taken by Toto Wolff at Mercedes, whose early investment in the team has grown exponentially as Formula 1 team valuations have surged.
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Does Horner have enough money?
Although Horner is thought to have received a significant financial settlement following his departure from Red Bull, Steiner was quick to highlight the limitations of his funds.
“I know he got a lot of money, but what he got is not enough to buy a team,” the former Haas boss explained.
This goes a long way towards explaining why Horner is reportedly seeking outside investors rather than attempting to fund a deal alone. With leading Formula 1 teams now valued in the billions, meaningful ownership is no longer within the reach of individuals acting alone, not even those with Horner’s career and earnings.
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Two big fish in a small pond situation
Steiner also cast doubt on whether Alpine would truly satisfy Horner’s expectations, highlighting questions of structure, ownership, and personalities within the team.
“I think he wants to be part of a team ownership structure, and I don’t think there’s anything for sale,” Steiner said, before adding that a power-sharing arrangement could prove problematic. In particular, he was sceptical about the prospect of Horner working alongside Flavio Briatore in a senior role, stating: “Flavio and him in the top position… that would not work.”
These comments help to explain why, despite appearing to be a realistic option on paper, Alpine may struggle to offer Horner the level of authority and autonomy he is believed to be seeking. Complex ownership, internal politics and overlapping influence could quickly transform the opportunity into a constraint rather than a platform.
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Horner rumours persist
From a sporting perspective, Alpine’s current form hardly strengthens its appeal. The team endured a deeply disappointing season, finishing tenth and last in the constructors’ championship. Expectations had been considerably higher, particularly given Alpine’s status as a factory outfit and its long-term ambitions in Formula 1.
Nevertheless, the Horner rumours refuse to fade. In mid-November, TalkSPORT insider Jon Jackson added further fuel to the fire, citing sources within the Formula 1 paddock.
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According to Jackson, Horner’s preferred route back into the sport would initially see him appointed as team principal, before he acquires shares in the team once contractual and regulatory hurdles have been cleared.
Jackson described this sequence as the ‘most likely scenario’, suggesting that a phased approach could enable Horner to prepare for his return while respecting the terms of his Red Bull exit agreement. Such a plan would also align with Alpine’s potential ownership changes, should Otro Capital decide to proceed with a sale.
For now, however, much remains unresolved. Horner’s ban prevents him from being involved immediately, the ownership situation at Alpine is still fluid and the team’s on-track struggles highlight the scale of the challenge ahead. While the rumours are persistent and increasingly detailed, a Horner comeback in Formula 1, particularly with Alpine, appears to be a long-term project rather than an imminent development.
Horner’s interest in Alpine may be genuine, but only insofar as it provides a pathway back to the level of influence he once had at Red Bull. If that influence cannot be secured, financially or politically, Steiner’s prediction from September may yet come true: Horner is more likely to wait than compromise on the scope of his ambitions.
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Fresh revelations surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s future at Ferrari have rocked Formula 1, with new reports suggesting his contract with the Scuderia is significantly longer than initially assumed. According to Bild, the seven-time world champion is secured not only for the upcoming regulatory era, but also for a period well beyond 2026.
The German publication claims that Hamilton’s Ferrari deal runs until at least the end of the 2027 Formula 1 season. Even more intriguingly, the contract reportedly includes a unilateral option that would allow Hamilton to extend his stay by a further year, potentially keeping him at Ferrari until the end of 2028.
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If he activates this clause, he will be 43 years old when the agreement expires. This information from BILD contrasts sharply with the widespread belief that Hamilton’s commitment to Ferrari would end in 2026, when the new engine regulations come into effect.
Neither Hamilton nor Ferrari has publicly confirmed the precise duration of the contract. When the blockbuster move was officially announced in February 2024, both parties described it only as a ‘multi-year’ agreement, leaving room…READ MORE
A senior writer at TJ13, C.J. Alderson serves as Senior Editor and newsroom coordinator, with a background in online sports reporting and motorsport magazine editing. Alderson’s professional training in media studies and experience managing content teams ensures TJ13 maintains consistency of voice and credibility. During race weekends, Alderson acts as desk lead, directing contributors and smoothing breaking stories for publication.
Stanton is a London-based journalist specialising in sports business and sponsorship. With a degree in economics and years reporting for business-focused publications, Stanton translates F1’s complex financial world into clear, compelling narratives.