Christian Horner’s next F1 move: two new career options emerge
Horner aims to return to the Grand Prix paddock
A new chapter has emerged in the long-running saga surrounding Christian Horner. Following his departure from Red Bull at the end of the Silverstone Grand Prix and the announcement of a lucrative £80 million severance package – including a discount to shorten his gardening leave – speculation has been rife over the next step in the English manager’s Formula 1 career. While it seems certain that the former Milton Keynes team principal will remain in the paddock, the key question now is where.
Previously, rumors suggested a possible move to Alpine alongside friend Flavio Briatore, or a reunion with long-time ally Adrian Newey – with whom Horner was spotted this summer at an Oasis concert in the UK – or even a potential switch to Williams. Now, however, at least two new options have surfaced.
Haas possibility, according to the Daily Mail
The Daily Mail reports that Horner could consider joining Haas. The small American team lacks a strong figure as team principal following Gunther Steiner’s departure and the internal promotion of Ayao Komatsu. A high-profile figure like the 51-year-old Horner could fit as a supervisor and CEO within the current structure. However, questions remain regarding owner Gene Haas’s ambitions: he has no intention of selling the team despite the booming F1 market, and is unlikely to invest heavily in competitiveness. There is also no guarantee Horner could obtain equity, an objective he previously pursued as Red Bull boss. For these reasons, this path does not seem particularly warm at the moment.
The Race reports on the 12th team option
The other potential route, according to Jonathan Noble of The Race, would see Horner exploring the creation of a 12th team on the F1 grid. Preliminary discussions are reportedly underway with a group of investors ready to back the British manager’s new venture. Yet the recent Andretti-Cadillac saga exemplifies the hurdles that could arise when attempting to bring a new team into the paddock.
The new American outfit, set to enter F1 in 2026 after a long negotiation with Liberty Media, initially presented itself as an Andretti family project with only external support from General Motors, which initially committed solely to supplying power units. It was only after a leadership change – with Michael Andretti’s resignation and the project handed to Dan Towriss and TWG Motorsport – and Cadillac stepping in as the official constructor, that Formula 1 greenlighted the operation, which had been strongly advocated from the start by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Why it’s a challenging but exciting path
Launching a 12th team remains a long and bumpy road, especially since Stefano Domenicali recently reiterated that there is no room on the grid for an additional team due to logistical constraints. Clearly, the issue is also economic and commercial: adding a new team would mean dividing the existing revenue pie – which has had ten shares until now – among twelve, and the move is only viable if the overall pie grows. Horner is well aware of these difficulties, but by leading a wealthy group of investors, possibly backed by a major manufacturer eager to enter F1, as Towriss did with General Motors, he could finally secure both influence and equity – the recognition that partly motivated his split from Red Bull.
Leave a Reply