Former Red Bull boss Christian Horner, who has been away from the sport for a year now, is taking on a new advisory role for London-based private equity firm Oakley Capital.
Horner is expected to lead the company’s sporting division, aiming to steer the group toward the right kinds of investments.
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“Sports businesses are benefitting from growing global audiences and participation rates as more people embrace healthier, active lifestyles,” he said in an official statement about his new position.
“I have known and respected Peter and the Oakley team for many years and have always admired their approach to building ambitious, founder-led businesses.
Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner before the Sprint Race of the Formula One US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-Imagn Images
“Oakley Capital has established a strong reputation across the sports and consumer landscape and I look forward to working together in the future and sharing my experience to help support the next generation of standout sports businesses.”
The former team principal has been linked to a possible purchase of Alpine, which is being sold by car conglomerate Renault.
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Additionally, there have been rumors of a possible role with Aston Martin, leading the F1 project as the leader. In a left-field development, Horner has been linked to Chinese automotive giant BYD to form a 12th team on the F1 grid.
May 3, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner after sprint qualifying at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Horner taking on an official role with Oakley further lends weight to his plan to buy Alpine. His bid comes in conjunction with Oakley, which is bearing the brunt of the purchase, and their financial muscle could come in handy for a 12th team.
He seems to have the full support of Oakley — and they will likely be crucial to funding any F1 project that he takes over.
“Christian Horner is widely recognised as a highly successful leader in global sport. His track record, expertise and commercial instinct will be invaluable as we continue to scale our sports portfolio,” he explained.
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“We are increasingly drawn to businesses in this space that share the hallmarks of a typical Oakley investment: founder-led, high-growth and supported by resilient revenues, or under-commercialized ‘scarce’ assets with significant untapped potential.
“We look forward to working with Christian in order to unlock these opportunities.”