With Christian Horner’s departure from Crimson Bull now official, consideration has switched to when and the place he might return to F1.
10 weeks after his Crimson Bull sacking following 20 years on the helm of the crew, it was confirmed that Horner had formally left the corporate on Monday.
As a part of his exit, Horner negotiated a multi-million pound settlement that has shortened the interval of gardening go away he should serve, that means he’s free to return to a job inside F1 earlier than the summer season of 2026.
With Horner reportedly accepting much less cash in order that he can return to the world of F1 as quickly as attainable, it’s clear what his most important motivation is.
However the place might the previous Crimson Bull crew principal find yourself?
Alpine one of the best wager?
Launched from his Crimson Bull contract, Horner is now free to start negotiating with potential suitors over an F1 comeback.
The 51-year-old Briton has been closely linked with Alpine for a number of months.
With Alpine coming into a brand new period underneath Flavio Briatore, and taking over Mercedes energy models for F1’s guidelines reset in 2026, the Anglo French outfit might present Horner with a possibility on the proper time.
Alpine are at present missing a standard crew principal determine. Govt advisor Briatore has successfully develop into de facto crew boss since Oliver Oakes’ sudden departure after the Miami Grand Prix, whereas F1 veteran Steve Nielsen has been delivered to handle the crew’s day-to-day operations.
Maybe there may be nonetheless room for a determine like Horner to assist direct the ship.
Horner and Briatore are allies
Rumours have advised that Horner might mix forces with shut good friend Briatore and former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone for an possession stake in Alpine. This could characterize a stage of energy that was unavailable to him at Crimson Bull, and should attraction.
From a location perspective, Alpine would make sense for Horner, with the crew’s Enstone headquarters a brief drive from his nation dwelling in Oxfordshire.
Talking on the latest Dutch Grand Prix, Briatore talked down hypothesis linking Horner with a transfer to Alpine, stating that “for the second, he’s not within the image of Alpine”.
However these feedback had been made earlier than Horner was formally accessible and the image has now modified.
Aston Martin feels unlikely
On paper, Aston Martin could possibly be another choice for Horner.
CEO Andy Cowell took over the position of crew principal from Mike Krack, who transitioned to chief trackside officer, as a part of a senior administration reshuffle forward of the 2025 season.
There could also be a place for Horner to fill at Aston Martin, be it as a extra pure crew principal match than Cowell, or a extra senior capability, although there’s a threat of Aston Martin having too many cooks within the kitchen.
One other potential stumbling block might come within the type of big-money signing Adrian Newey, who left Crimson Bull to hitch the Silverstone-based outfit earlier this 12 months.
The controversy involving the allegations about Horner is known to have been one of many most important causes Newey needed to go away Crimson Bull within the first place.
Newey can be mentioned to have been unimpressed with feedback made by Horner that appeared to downplay his influence on the crew’s efficiency throughout the top of Crimson Bull’s latest F1 glory.
Such a state of affairs might make for an ungainly reunion for Horner and threat alienating Newey, one thing Aston Martin would absolutely search to keep away from.
Would Lawrence Stroll wish to rent Horner?
Doorways closed at Ferrari and Cadillac
Horner didn’t refuse to rule out becoming a member of Ferrari earlier than he was fired by Crimson Bull.
Requested by Crash.internet’s Lewis Larkam whether or not taking over the crew principal position at Ferrari would ever attraction to him throughout a press convention on the Spanish Grand Prix in Might, Horner responded: “My dedication 100 per cent is with Crimson Bull. It all the time has been and definitely might be for the long run.
“There’s a bunch of hypothesis all the time on this enterprise, folks coming there, folks going there. Individuals within the crew know precisely what the state of affairs is.
“My Italian is worse than Flavio’s English so how on Earth would that work?”
That avenue seems closed for now, with Ferrari handing Frederic Vasseur a brand new “multi-year” contract to proceed within the place past the tip of this 12 months.
The incoming Cadillac F1 crew have additionally shut down the potential of hiring Horner, closing one other attainable door.
“There have been no talks with Christian Horner. No plans to try this,” CEO Dan Towriss insisted in August. “I’d wish to formally shut down that hearsay.”
No matter Horner’s subsequent transfer is, his future will definitely seize the eye of the F1 paddock within the coming months.
