Mohammed Ben Sulayem backs Christian Horner’s F1 return: “He did great things for Formula 1”. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem praises former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

A sense of nostalgia in the F1 paddock

The Formula 1 paddock appears to be feeling the absence of Christian Horner. The former Red Bull team principal, who parted ways with the Milton Keynes-based team last summer, has received several unexpected public endorsements in recent months from figures who were often his fiercest rivals.

Both Toto Wolff and Zak Brown, key leaders of Mercedes and McLaren respectively, have recently admitted that they “miss” their long-time competitor, while also acknowledging the clear differences in personality and leadership style that often put them at odds with the 52-year-old Briton.

Support for Horner’s potential return to a leading role in Formula 1 has now also come from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Despite past disagreements between the two, their relationship has improved significantly in recent times. In fact, at the end of January this year, Horner visited Mohammed Ben Sulayem at the FIA headquarters in Paris.

“Horner wants to come back”

Speaking to reporters in Miami during the Grand Prix weekend, the FIA president publicly expressed his admiration for Horner, as reported by Reuters:

“Who can erase the name of Christian Horner from motorsport and Formula 1? No one. You can’t. He has always been successful. But success also brings enemies, as we know,” said Ben Sulayem.

“If you ask me, he is missed in this sport, and I miss him. I have stayed in touch with him, and he has done good for his team and good for the sport. He wants to come back. I speak with him regularly and I feel he will return. When he comes back, it will be as if he has been on holiday. He has been a prominent figure in this sport.”

Interest in Alpine shares

According to ongoing rumours in the paddock, Horner is among those interested in acquiring a 24% stake in the Alpine team, currently held by the American private equity firm Otro Capital.

However, those shares are attracting significant interest from multiple parties, including Toto Wolff and Mercedes, both of whom have publicly expressed their intention to enter the deal.

As the situation develops, Horner’s potential return to Formula 1—possibly in a new role—remains one of the most intriguing storylines in the sport.