Ex-Red Bull boss Christian Horner eyeing F1 return as Alpine investor

Christian Horner’s absence from Formula One may be short-lived. Horner, the famed former Red Bull boss who was fired by the company in ‍July, is among a group eyeing a possible investment into F1 team Alpine.

The ​French outfit confirmed Horner’s interest in a statement on Sunday (January 25, 2026).

In December ‌2023, Alpine finalized the sale of a 24% stake ​to American sports- investment firm Otro Capital and a group of investors that included golf pro Rory McIlroy, NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, boxer Anthony Joshua and actor/businessman Ryan Reynolds.

Otro in recent months has explored selling its stake, meeting with potential investors. Enter Horner.

“It is no secret that Otro Capital has held preliminary talks to sell its stake ​in the team,” Alpine said in the Sunday (January 25, 2026) statement. “The team ⁠is regularly approached and contacted from potential investors, particularly given Otro Capital declared exploratory talks have taken place. One of those parties to express an interest is a group of ​investors, which also includes Christian Horner.”

Reports ⁠of Otro’s potential interest in selling surfaced in October of last year, with Markets Group reporting that Otro’s initial investment of roughly $900 million in 2023 would likely fetch far more money in a sale.

Horner, ‌52, led Red Bull for 20 years but was officially ‌terminated on Aug. 13, 2025, after being dismissed by the team’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH, after the British Grand ‍Prix a month earlier.

In his time at Red Bull, Horner oversaw 124 grand prix wins, eight driver titles— four by Max Verstappen and four for ‍Sebastian Vettel, and six constructors’ titles.

No official reason was given for Horner’s dismissal at the time, though the team was struggling to keep up with McLaren in the standings as questions arose about the future of Verstappen and rumors swirled about a power struggle between Horner and some other senior leaders at Red Bull.

Additionally, Horner— who is married to Geri Halliwell of Spice Girls fame— had been embroiled in scandal over inappropriate behavior ⁠with a female colleague multiple times, allegations he denied. Horner’s settlement with Red Bull at the time of his termination (he was ​under contract into the 2030s) was believed to be worth as much as $100 ⁠million.

After finishing last in the F1 team standings last season, Alpine is switching from Renault to Mercedes for its power program for 2026.

“Currently, the primary focus for the team is to be more competitive on track in 2026 which, with the new regulation ⁠era, presents a unique opportunity to show a sustainable recovery of performance,” Alpine added in its statement.