Christian Horner is waiting for the green light to begin his next chapter in Formula 1 after confirming his exit from Red Bull.
The 51-year-old has officially left the team after 20 years at the helm. Horner guided Red Bull to eight drivers’ championships with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, as well as six constructors’ titles.
Horner was sacked as team principal after the British GP and was replaced by Racing Bulls boss Laurent Mekies. He remained on the books in Milton Keynes after his dismissal, having a contract until 2030.
On Monday, Red Bull confirmed that the Brit had been relieved of all duties, receiving an £80m payout from the team. Horner sacrificed an additional £30m from Red Bull to make himself available to other teams at an earlier date.
Horner is solely focused on F1 amid reports that former CEO Bernie Ecclestone had suggested MotoGP to him. The 51-year-old will be free to sign with another team next year after a period of gardening leave, and it may be shorter than previously thought.
Christian Horner could return to Formula 1 by the Chinese Grand Prix in 2026
It was reported that Horner could rejoin F1 in the summer of 2026 after his gardening leave ends with Red Bull. However, journalist Diego Mejia has ‘heard’ that he could return by the Chinese Grand Prix, set to take place in April.
Speaking via FOX Sports MX, he said: “We understand that there is a period that the British call ‘gardening leave’. That is, when you leave a team or a company, you have to have a period during which you cannot work for another employer.
“You can’t go to another factory or another company headquarters, even if you can, we assume, have some kind of contact and start taking those next steps so that when that term expires, you can start that new project.
“This would end, according to what we have heard, at the beginning of next year, when we are at the Chinese Grand Prix and heading to Bahrain, Jeddah, [he] could be integrated into the operation of another Formula 1 team.”
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Which Formula 1 team does Christian Horner want to join after leaving Red Bull?
Several F1 teams have expressed an interest in Horner’s services since leaving Red Bull. He would bring a wealth of experience and a winning mentality to any team on the grid.
Cadillac and Ferrari are off the table for the 51-year-old, with Alpine or Aston Martin being his likely destination. Reports have also suggested that Horner could invest in Haas, as he looks to take on an ownership role.
Horner has been meeting with Flavio Briatore amid his links to Enstone. It has been reported that Horner may be ‘wanting’ to join Alpine, as it is a chance to rebuild a team to the front, as they sit last in the constructors’ championship.
Aston Martin would create a reunion with Adrian Newey and Honda, with whom Horner enjoyed incredible success at Red Bull. However, Newey’s contract could ‘bar hiring’ Horner if he so wished, given rumours of friction between the two.