The latest rumor regarding Christian Horner’s inevitable future in Formula 1 has drawn Aston Martin into the mix, but CEO Andy Cowell’s response to the hearsay was as slippery as a wet lap around Marina Bay.
In Singapore on Thursday, Aston martin F1’s executive was repeatedly pressed on whether Lawrence Stroll’s outfit might be the Briton’s next destination. His answers? Polished, polite, and just evasive enough to keep the rumor mill spinning.
Horner recently reached a closing settlement with Red Bull, who fired the Briton last July, and since, the former team principal’s future has been the topic of endless speculation.
Ahead of this weekend’s round of racing in Singapore, the conjecture is focused on a potential link-up between Aston and Horner, perhaps based on Stroll’s no-holds-barred approach to building a championship-contending team, which has seen him snap up heavyweights like Adrian Newey and Enrico Cardile.
The Canadian billionaire is clearly not afraid to make bold moves. Could Horner be the next piece in his high-stakes puzzle?
Cowell started by offering a diplomatic nod to Horner’s legacy and current break from the F1 spotlight.
“I think Christian has taken some time out at the moment,” said the Aston chief.
“He’s probably enjoying time with friends and family. He loves the sport, though. I wish him well with whatever he ends up doing in the future.”
That gentle deflection did little to quiet speculation, so naturally, reporters circled back.
A “strong team” mantra
When asked again, Cowell leaned heavily on Aston Martin’s internal structure and recent star hires.
“We have got a strong team,” he replied, before doubling down. “We’ve got a strong team with Adrian [Newey] at the helm of the technical organisation. And we’re growing and building.”
Still, the questions kept coming. Which led to Cowell praising Horner’s achievements while carefully keeping Aston Martin’s door neither open nor shut.
“I think Christian’s record speaks for itself,” Cowell said. “He’s a great competitor.
“I guess it’s down to Christian to work out what he wants to do. He might want to walk away from the sport. He might want to do something else in the sport. But that’s down to Christian, isn’t it?”
A Strong Team. But Room for More?
Undeterred, the media circled back, probing whether Aston Martin’s current setup left any space for a figure as prominent as Horner. But once again, Cowell emphasized the team’s existing firepower.
“I think we’ve got a strong set-up and we’re marching forward with that,” he said.
“We’re a relatively young team. We’ve got great facilities. We’re developing the tools. We’ve taken on strong people like Adrian and Enrico. Jack [Gioacchino] Vino on the aero side.
“But there are also people internally. There’s a guy called Michael Hart that works hour by hour with Adrian on aero development. Giles Wood and so on.
“And with Lawrence’s vision and with the sponsorship revenues that are coming in driven by Jeff [Jefferson Slack], I think we’ve got a pretty strong team.”
That certainly sounds like confidence in Aston Martin’s current direction. But could Horner add another layer of experience to the mix?
Never say never
One final time, Cowell was asked to address the Horner speculation directly. Once again, he returned to his “strong team” talking points — but with just enough ambiguity to leave the door ajar.
“I think I’ll refer back to what I said,” he concluded. “We’ve got a plan and we’re marching forward. And I guess Christian needs to work out where he wants to play a part in the future. And who knows what will happen.”
So, no confirmation. No denial. Just the sense that when it comes to Horner’s next move, Aston Martin isn’t keen to rule anything out.
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Steiner: Horner ‘eager’ to return to F1 but not with Alpine
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