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<\/p>\nOusted Red Bull Formula 1 team boss Christian Horner made a surprise appearance at Jerez on Saturday, fuelling speculation about a potential interest in MotoGP team ownership.<\/p>\n
Horner was present at the Spanish Grand Prix alongside Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, with both spotted in the paddock on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n
The Briton spent the final practice session of the weekend in the factory Honda garage, where he was seen conversing with HRC CEO Koji Watanabe.<\/p>\n
Horner built a strong relationship with Honda\u2019s top brass during his time with F1, with the Japanese manufacturer powering Red Bull to four drivers\u2019 titles and two teams\u2019 titles in the 2020s.<\/p>\n
The 52-year-old has made no secret of his desire to return to F1, most likely through the purchase of equity, with Alpine emerging as an attractive opportunity for him earlier this year.<\/p>\n
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However, MotoGP also remains a viable option, particularly after Liberty Media\u2019s acquisition of Dorna Sports last year.<\/p>\n
Asked whether he was interested in buying a MotoGP team, Horner told MotoGP\u2019s official feed: \u201cI have always been a big fan of MotoGP, and while I\u2019ve got a little bit of time, I thought it was a good opportunity to come down and have a look at the championship.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, [MotoGP] is under new ownership now, in common with Formula 1, and it\u2019s great to see the bikes and how they have evolved.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was last at a MotoGP race in Estoril in 2005, so it\u2019s been a while.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s a really interesting time for MotoGP. It\u2019s going through a period of change under new ownership as well. So, I wanted to come here and see a little bit for myself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s great racing. It\u2019s a great show.\u00a0The riders are incredible and the bikes are incredible. It\u2019s only when you get to see it live that you appreciate how insane these machines are.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think as a sport, it has so much to offer. So, hopefully, the Liberty guys, with the experience they have in Formula 1, will be able to lean into that.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Stefano is very passionate. I\u2019m here with him today. So, there\u2019s going to be some synergies there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Liberty\u2019s \u20ac4.2billion purchase of Dorna has put MotoGP under the same umbrella as its F1, with both championships now trading on NASDAQ under the Formula 1 Group.<\/p>\n
There is precedent for personnel moving between the two paddocks, with Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola the most prominent example of an F1 engineer finding success in MotoGP.<\/p>\n
But Liberty\u2019s purchase is expected to accelerate that process, particularly in team ownership, with the American media company expected to help unlock more value out of MotoGP.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Stefano Domenicali of Italy and CEO of Formula 1 and Carmelo Ezpeleta of Spain and CEO of Dorna Sports<\/p>\n
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography \/ LAT Images \/ via Getty Images<\/p>\n
Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is already banking on such a return on investment, having led a consortium that took over KTM\u2019s Tech3 satellite team in September.<\/p>\n
Unlike F1, where each team must build their own chassis and other listed parts, thus requiring heavy investment in facilities, MotoGP allows independent teams to buy fully-built bikes from manufacturers and operate on a smaller scale.<\/p>\n
Teams and manufacturers are currently negotiating improved financial terms with Dorna as part of the next commercial contract, which is set to come into force in 2027.<\/p>\n
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