Former Red Bull CEO and team boss Christian Horner is reportedly in talks to buy a stake in Alpine, a move that would see him return to Formula 1 in some capacity.
Horner was fired by Red Bull in July, ending a 20-year association with the team as its de facto leader following a bitter power battle with Red Bull’s parent company.
Placed on gardening leave until April 2026, Horner has been rumoured to have spoken with multiple teams up and down the grid as he plots his return to the sport.
But the Briton has specific requirements for a role within a team, favouring some control over an operation over reporting to a CEO, something he has yet to find.
Horner had been in discussions to join Aston Martin as CEO, but this fell through, with former colleague Adrian Newey assuming the role of Team Principal in April.
However, Dutch publication De Telegraaf has reported that Horner could be on the verge of an F1 return by buying a controlling stake in the beleaguered Alpine team.
Horner to take a chance on beleaguered Alpine?
Alpine finished bottom of the Constructors’ Championship in a nadir for the Enstone-based team in its 44-year history under its many identities.
2025 also marked the end of Renault engines in F1, as the Viry-Chatillon facility in France has now shut down, the team moving to Mercedes power for 2026.
The decision to become a Mercedes customer has fuelled speculation that Renault is looking to sell the team, with the De Telegraaf report adding fuel to the fire.
Renault Group remains the majority shareholder in the team, with a 24 per cent stake sold to American consortium Otro Capital, allowing celebrities to buy into the team.
The report claims that Horner is eying up a bid for a majority stake with unknown investors, as Otro Capital seeks to sell its stock.
Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore is a good friend of Horner, a factor not lost on Alpine’s Managing Director Steve Nielsen.
Speaking back in October, Nielsen refused to rule out the possibility that Horner could end up involved in the Anglo-French marque.
“As far as I know, no,” Nielsen said when asked if a move could happen.“Flavio and Christian are old friends. That’s no secret. What they’ve talked about, I don’t know.
“Everything I see and everything I know, there’s no truth in Christian coming to Alpine. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen. This is Formula 1 after all.”
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