The Formula 1 paddock is having to adapt to Christian Horner not being in charge of Red Bull Racing for the first time in the team’s 20-year history.
Christian Horner was in charge when Red Bull made their F1 debut at the 2005 Australian Grand Prix before being replaced by Laurent Mekies this season.
Mekies faces a raft of challenges after taking on Horner’s role, with Red Bull slipping to fourth in the constructors’ standings and Max Verstappen no longer being in contention to win a fifth drivers’ championship.
Although Red Bull had trouble recruiting staff in Horner’s final years at the helm, the success he enjoyed can’t be overlooked.
CHRISTIAN HORNER’S RECORD AS RED BULL F1 TEAM PRINCIPALGrands Prix entered406Wins124Podiums287Pole positions107Points8,009Drivers’ championships8 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)Constructors’ championships6 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2022, 2023)
Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel won four championships each, and the team secured six constructors’ titles thanks to the efforts of the likes of Adrian Newey, Helmut Marko and Jonathan Wheatley behind the scenes.
However, since Horner’s exit following the British Grand Prix, he’s already been linked with a possible return to Formula 1.
Journalist and Dutch commentator Nelson Valkenburg believes that there are only two ‘viable’ teams that Horner could possibly consider working with in the future.
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Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty ImagesChristian Horner’s only ‘viable options’ in F1 are Alpine and Cadillac after Red Bull exit
Valkenburg was speaking on the Nailing The Apex Podcast about Horner’s future and explained: “The first question is, why would you need a gardening leave? For high-placed technical personnel, I could understand it, but, in his position, I do think the announcement this week was all about the legal process.
“I do think he’s going to turn up at either Alpine or Cadillac; those are the only viable options for him.
“If, indeed, he wants a return, because he has been bruised. It does feel like he’s been hurt by the whole process.
“But, we also know there is ambition there. Ambition to be not only a team boss, but a team owner. And the big question is, where does he have the easiest option to do that, if indeed he wants a return?
“I think the easiest would probably be Alpine, but is that a place you really want to be right now?
“So, maybe, at Cadillac, at least with him, the connection [between] Perez and Horner would be very interesting for them to be reunited, I don’t know how Valtteri Bottas would feel about that one!”
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Christian Horner would be taking on Formula 1’s biggest challenges with Alpine or Cadillac roles
Red Bull have now permanently parted ways with Horner, as he’s no longer a director of the company.
This allows him to take as much time as he needs to explore his next opportunity in the sport and whether he wants to come back to Formula 1.
There have previously been suggestions that Alpine could sell a partial stake in the team, which would allow Horner to return to F1 as a team owner, rather than just a team principal.
TEAM PRINCIPALTEAMAPPOINTEDDEBUT RACEToto WolffMercedesJanuary 20242013 Australian GPAndrea StellaMcLarenDecember 20222023 Bahrain GPFred VasseurFerrariDecember 20222023 Bahrain GPJames VowlesWilliamsJanuary 20232023 Bahrain GPAyao KomatsuHaasJanuary 20242024 Bahrain GPAndy CowellAston MartinJanuary 20252025 Australian GPJonathan WheatleySauberApril 20252025 Japanese GPFlavio Briatore*AlpineMay 20252025 Emilia Romagna GPLaurent MekiesRed BullJuly 20252025 Belgian GPAlan PermaneRacing BullsJuly 20252025 Belgian GPFormula 1 team principals sorted by debut race
*Flavio Briatore took charge from Oliver Oakes as de facto team principal
Cadillac need as much experience as they can get, and so Horner would be an astute acquisition, even if General Motors are unlikely to offer him the chance to buy into the team.
Juan Pablo Montoya has urged Aston Martin to look into hiring Horner, as he believes that Lawrence Stroll’s outfit lack a ‘strong leader’ at the top of the team.
It’s going to be fascinating to see if Horner ends up making a return to the grid, especially if he joins a team that are capable of him rekindling his rivalries with Zak Brown and Toto Wolff.