Christian Horner has broken his silence on being sacked by Red Bull, stating that he misses the sport and has "unfinished business" in Formula One. Speaking publicly for the first time since his dismissal as team principal following last year's British Grand Prix, Horner made it clear that he won't rush back into the paddock unless he has a winning opportunity.
The 52-year-old was let go from Red Bull after being accused of "inappropriate behaviour" by a female colleague. However, he always denied these claims and was later cleared of controlling behavior by an independent inquiry. Now, Horner is reportedly eyeing investment in Alpine, the team that finished bottom of last season's constructors' championship.
Horner himself had a remarkable 20-year stint with Red Bull, winning eight drivers' and six constructors' titles during his time at the helm. When asked about his desire to return to F1, he emphasized that it wouldn't be just for the sake of being involved - "I am not going back for just anything. I am only going to come back for something that can win."
Notably, Horner expressed admiration for his former rival Toto Wolff, who is now at the helm of the Mercedes F1 team. While acknowledging their rivalry made for compelling racing, Horner stressed that a little healthy competition was essential in sport - "We are just different people, equally competitive, just different... You have got to have a rivalry that will create a real interest."
As Alpine's ownership situation continues to unfold, Horner has shown no signs of rushing into anything. With his former team now powered by Mercedes engines until at least 2030, it seems that F1 veterans like Horner are keenly watching developments on the periphery rather than taking an immediate seat on a new team's front bench.
The 52-year-old was let go from Red Bull after being accused of "inappropriate behaviour" by a female colleague. However, he always denied these claims and was later cleared of controlling behavior by an independent inquiry. Now, Horner is reportedly eyeing investment in Alpine, the team that finished bottom of last season's constructors' championship.
Horner himself had a remarkable 20-year stint with Red Bull, winning eight drivers' and six constructors' titles during his time at the helm. When asked about his desire to return to F1, he emphasized that it wouldn't be just for the sake of being involved - "I am not going back for just anything. I am only going to come back for something that can win."
Notably, Horner expressed admiration for his former rival Toto Wolff, who is now at the helm of the Mercedes F1 team. While acknowledging their rivalry made for compelling racing, Horner stressed that a little healthy competition was essential in sport - "We are just different people, equally competitive, just different... You have got to have a rivalry that will create a real interest."
As Alpine's ownership situation continues to unfold, Horner has shown no signs of rushing into anything. With his former team now powered by Mercedes engines until at least 2030, it seems that F1 veterans like Horner are keenly watching developments on the periphery rather than taking an immediate seat on a new team's front bench.
I mean can you blame Christian Horner for wanting to come back to F1? The guy has been out of the sport for a bit and now he's missing it 
! He's got some unfinished business to attend to and Alpine seems like an interesting opportunity. I love how honest he is about not rushing back unless they've got a winning team in place 
. And can we talk about Toto Wolff for a sec? They had that epic rivalry and now Horner's giving it up - "healthy competition" for real 
! As for Alpine, who knows what's gonna happen with the ownership situation... one thing's for sure, F1 veterans like Horner are keeping a close eye on things 
But seriously, he's got some good points about needing that competitive edge in F1. It's not just about him wanting to be back, it's about creating something special. 
Alpine is an interesting move too - does anyone really think they can compete with the big dogs now? 
. anyway, stats show that F1 teams with ex-Red Bull drivers have won 60% of their constructors' titles since 2010 
... maybe Horner is onto somethin'? 
he goes from being one of the most powerful dudes in f1 to getting the boot due to some drama 
and now he's just chillin', waiting for the right opportunity to come back. I gotta respect that about him - he's not gonna settle for anything less than a winner 
.
. And Horner's got some interesting insights on rivalry in sports - I mean, he and toto wolff were always at it, but now he's saying they needed that competition to make the racing good 
. But hey, you never know what'll happen - maybe alpine will come crawling back and offer him a seat on their front bench 
.
You know what gets me thinking - all this drama with Christian Horner and Red Bull is just another reminder that even in our golden years, we've got to stay relevant 
. I mean, 52 and still chasing success? Respect! 
Toto Wolff is a genius, but Horner's not exactly going to be his BFF anytime soon.
. Who else is excited to see what Horner'll do next? And can we talk about how weird it is that he's just chillin' outside of F1 when there are so many teams crying out for a leader like him?