Christian Horner’s departure from Red Bull was seen as a shock, given the timing of the announcement, but it was inevitable. As Laurent Mekies takes over as Red Bull’s newest team principal and CEO of Red Bull Racing, Horner is now without a job for the first time in over three decades.
Given the fact that he is only 51 years old, Horner has plenty of time to assess his options and get back into Formula 1 down the line. However, opportunities still exist at the moment, as Alpine remain without an actual team principal.
Ever since Oliver Oakes vacated his position at Alpine a few months ago, Flavio Briatore has taken full control of the team ever since. However, it appears to be temporary until a full-time team principal is hired.
Horner may be the right man to turn Alpine around
While Alpine still sit dead last in the constructor standings, their struggles only seem to be temporary, as the next era of regulations will likely favor them. Dropping Renault in favor of Mercedes as their engine supplier was a difficult decision, but it should make them more successful in the long run.
Horner has turned around a team before, and there is nothing to suggest that he cannot do it again. If the former team principal were to take the reins at Alpine before the end of the 2025 season, it may come down to his discretion as to who the team want to pair with Pierre Gasly next year.
Additionally, Alpine will inherently be stronger due to utilizing the Mercedes engine. Amid those battles they will inevitably face, Horner would excel in bringing the team through them and into the right side of history.
One potential difficulty in actually bringing Horner to Alpine would be the boundaries set between him and Briatore. Both love to have power and control, and that could potentially lead to a lot of tension and overstepping. However, it is reported that the two have a good relationship, and Briatore could be willing to compromise for the greater good of Alpine.