Christian Horner has unfinished business in Formula 1 but doesn't need to come back
F1 NewsMonday, 02 February 2026 at 15:33
Former Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner has spoken out since his unceremonious dismissal from the Milton Keynes outfit back in 2025.
Horner paid the price for the deterioration of Red Bull performance at the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
That was probably caused by the unhealthy situation caused by his sexting scandal with a female colleague, not to mention the power struggle that he was involved in following the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz.
At the time, a civil war erupted between him, former Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko, and the Verstappen camp spearheaded by Max's father, Jos.
Horner was replaced by Laurent Mekies, who managed to improve the situation, but not enough for Verstappen to clinch a fifth F1 Title, as the Dutchman missed out by two points to McLaren's Lando Norris.
Not coming back for anything less than winning
Horner was present at the European Motor Show in Dublin and looked back on his exit from F1.
He said: "I feel like I have unfinished business in Formula 1. It didn't finish the way that I would have liked it to finish.
"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," he claimed. "I miss the sport, I miss the people, I miss the team that I built.
"I had 21 incredible years in Formula 1. 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," Horner pointed out. "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.
"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," the Briton maintained.
Linked with several F1 teams
Since his exit, Horner has been linked with roles at Ferrari and then Aston Martin, while the latest reports are linking him to Alpine with claims that he might be leading a consortium to buy a share in the Renault-owned F1 team.
Horner touched on those rumors and said: "What has been fascinating is that this is the first time I have actually spoken to anyone [since leaving Red Bull].
"[In the media] I think I have been going to every single team, which has ranged from the back of the grid, to the middle of the grid and to the front of the grid.
"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," the 52-year-old stated.
Someone might not be happy if Horner returns
One person who probably doesn't miss Horner and won't be delighted to have him back in the F1 paddock is Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who has had his fair share of bickering with the former Red Bull boss.
Asked about his tense relationship with Wolff, Horner said: "A lot of people made a lot out of the rivalry I had with him. I have a huge amount of respect for him.
"He has been tremendously successful. He has won a huge amount. He is very bright.
"We are just different people, equally competitive, just different. And sport is boring if everybody is friendly and loves each other.
"You have got to have a rivalry that will create a real interest. The worst thing is if everyone is too nicey-nicey and chummy," Horner concluded.
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