Christian Horner waits and evaluates, only three teams would reject him a priori
Christian Horner has now completely stepped away from Red Bull Racing. There are no longer any ties, no contractual obligations, and no hidden clauses that could in any way link him either to the Austrian team or, more broadly, to Formula 1 itself. After more than two decades of being at the very centre of the Formula 1 paddock, Horner now faces a long period of absence from the activities in which he has been deeply involved for the past twenty-one years.
But what could the future hold for him? A manager of the calibre of Christian Horner has the possibility of deciding his own path and choosing to do virtually anything he wishes. His options range from stepping away from motorsport entirely, to returning to Formula 1 in a leading role, to perhaps even founding a new team of his own. Alternatively, he could consider taking over from an existing team principal and attempting to guide another organisation – not Red Bull – back to the highest level of success.
According to many observers, only three teams would refuse him immediately, without even opening discussions or evaluating the opportunity.
The first is Mercedes. For Horner to walk through the main doors in Stuttgart as team principal, something of catastrophic proportions would have to happen. It would take a political or sporting earthquake even more serious than the storm that forced his exit from Red Bull. The reason is quite clear: Toto Wolff holds an immensely powerful position within Mercedes. Not only is he the team principal, but he also owns a third of the organisation, which makes him co-owner. As long as Wolff remains, the possibility of Horner stepping into the role at Mercedes is essentially unthinkable.
The second is McLaren. The Woking-based team is currently experiencing a strong period of growth. After winning the Constructors’ Championship in 2024, it appears almost certain that McLaren will once again secure the teams’ title in 2025, and there is a high probability they will also claim the Drivers’ Championship with either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri. Given this momentum, it is extremely unlikely that McLaren would sideline Andrea Stella, a team principal who has proven to be highly successful, in order to make space for Christian Horner. The only possibility might be for Horner to join in a different capacity, but even that seems doubtful.
The third team that would never consider hiring him is the one that will arrive at the starting line of the new 2026 technical regulations with the best car on the grid. At this point in time, it is impossible to predict which outfit will achieve that status. Nevertheless, the reasoning would be the same as with McLaren: a team already enjoying an optimal competitive position and strong leadership would not see any benefit in disrupting its structure to bring in Horner.
Naturally, Red Bull Racing and the sister outfit Racing Bulls must also be excluded from the discussion for obvious reasons. That leaves Christian Horner with seven realistic options on the Formula 1 grid: Ferrari, Aston Martin, Alpine, Audi (which will enter the sport through the current Sauber structure), Cadillac, Haas, and Williams. Much will depend on how each of these teams performs and presents itself when the next season begins.
For the moment, however, Horner is not in a hurry. Even under normal circumstances, he would have needed to take some time before considering a return. Now, he has all the time he needs to wait, to assess his opportunities carefully, and to evaluate where his next challenge in Formula 1 might truly lie.
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