Christian Horner won’t be taking the reins at Cadillac, as the team made clear on Tuesday while unveiling the signings of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. The announcement put an end to any speculation linking Horner with the role.
Horner had been linked to Cadillac following his departure from Red Bull in July, where he’d spent two decades in charge. The American outfit are set to join the grid next season and have backing that should help them compete over time.
READ MORE: Red Bull facing fresh 2026 doubts as Max Verstappen’s long-term future questioned
But according to Dan Towriss, via The Race, those links have no foundation. He stated there were “no talks” with Horner and none planned, reaffirming their full support for current team principal Graeme Lowdon.
That’s one more door closed for Horner. His history with McLaren, plus their current form, makes a move there unlikely. The same goes for Mercedes, where Toto Wolff isn’t going anywhere soon.
Fred Vasseur has just renewed his deal at Ferrari. Racing Bulls aren’t an option given his past ties to Red Bull. Haas wouldn’t be appealing unless Toyota steps in, while Williams are focused on building around James Vowles and Audi has recently brought in Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley ahead of their 2026 entry.
Cadillac make it clear Horner isn’t joining as Alpine path opens up
Adrian Newey, another one of Horner’s old Red Bull colleagues, has already started his new role at Aston Martin. The pair had a strong partnership in the early 2010s and 2020s, but their relationship soured towards the end.
With those bridges likely burned, Alpine stands out as the most realistic option for Horner if he does come back to F1.
If he’s to take the job, it’s expected Horner will want full control and possibly even a share of ownership. Enstone might be willing to give him both.
Reports have suggested Horner could buy into Alpine for around £298 million. Backing from investors would be needed, but that was part of his skill set at Red Bull.
Alpine don’t have a team principal in place right now – Flavio Briatore handles broader strategy as an executive advisor, and Steve Nielsen was just named managing director.
The team has struggled over the past decade, with only one Grand Prix win during that stretch. They’re currently bottom of the championship table, so bringing in someone with Horner’s pedigree could make sense for them.
Christian Horner could need to apologise before joining Alpine
If Christian Horner does join Alpine, it won’t be without complications. There are a couple of issues that would need to be addressed in talks.
In a recent interview, Pierre Gasly indicated that Briatore has no plans to retire even as the oldest team ‘boss’ in the paddock.
Horner and Briatore are close, but the Italian may have to relinquish a significant degree of control. Sky Germany pundit Ralf Schumacher believes they could co-exist with Briatore as the ‘organiser’ and ‘networker’.
Horner may also have to apologise to Renault bosses for his past criticism of their engines. Their failures used to cost Red Bull, and while they’ve now axed their in-house power unit operation, it’s unlikely that his comments will be forgotten.
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