Reliable sources recently confirmed that, following weeks of speculation, Christian Horner's F1 future is likely tied to Alpine. The former Red Bull Racing Team Principal is expected to acquire a 24% stake in the Enstone-based outfit and would also serve as Alpine Team Principal.
Horner was fired from Red Bull last year following a reported internal power struggle, which came after a sexual harassment investigation in early 2024.
Horner, who steered Red Bull to eight Drivers' World Championships and six Constructors' World Championships, denied any wrongdoing and ultimately had his name cleared. However, that combined with the team's decline in form at the start of the 2025 season—and concerns about Max Verstappen triggering his exit clause due to poor performance—ultimately led to Horner's dismissal.
Now, Horner has broken his silence on his Red Bull departure and F1 future while appearing at the European Motor Show in Dublin (via The Guardian).
"I feel like I have unfinished business in Formula One. It didn’t finish the way that I would have liked it to finish," he confirmed. "But I am not going to come back for just anything. I am only going to come back for something that can win. I don’t want to go back in the paddock unless I have something to do."
"I miss the sport, I miss the people, I miss the team that I built. I had 21 incredible years in Formula One. I had a great run, won a lot of races, championships and worked with some amazing drivers, engineers and partners."
"I don’t need to go back. I could stop my career now. So I would only go back for the right opportunity to work with great people, and to work in an environment where people want to win, and they shared that desire," Horner added. "I would want to be a partner, rather than just a hired hand, but we will see how it plays out. I am not in a rush. I don’t need to do anything."
Everything he's saying mirrors what we've heard about his potentially purchasing Otro Capital's 24% stake in Alpine. There is a very real desire to turn the team into a legitimate Championship contender, and Horner would arguably be more than capable of taking charge of such an initiative.
Horner later said, "What has been fascinating is that I stepped out of Red Bull on July 8, and this is the first time I have actually spoken to anyone. [In the media] I have been going to every single Formula One team, which has ranged from the back of the grid, to the middle of the grid, and to the front of the grid. And there just seems to be an appetite as to: 'What am I going to do? Where am I going to go?'"
"The reality is that until the spring I can’t do anything anyway. It is very flattering to keep being associated with all of these different teams."
It appears we'll have to wait and see what comes next for Horner, but there's a very real chance he'll be back on the F1 grid at some point in the 2026 season.
This year's Championship begins in Australia on March 8, and while that might be a little soon for the former Red Bull boss's return, it surely won't be too much longer before this Alpine deal closes. As always, we'll keep you updated as more is revealed.