Christian Horner Plots Shock F1 Return With Alpine Stake Move - Report

Christian Horner’s route back to Formula 1 may finally be coming into focus, and it runs through Alpine.

According to reports from LastWordOnSports, he former Red Bull team principal is understood to be

in advanced negotiations to purchase a significant stake in the French outfit, fronting a business consortium that could give him real influence over the team’s future.

For the 52-year-old, it represents the clearest and most credible path yet to an F1 comeback following his dramatic exit from Milton Keynes.

Since being replaced at Red Bull, Horner has explored multiple options across the grid. Most teams, including Aston Martin, ultimately shut the door. Alpine, however, have kept talking and the discussions are now serious.

At the heart of Horner’s proposal is investment. His consortium is believed to be targeting around a 24% stake in Alpine, potentially more, a structure that would grant him far greater authority than a conventional team principal role. In effect, it could place him closer to Toto Wolff’s Mercedes-style model: leadership backed by ownership.

Alpine’s openness to such a move is no surprise. The Enstone-based squad has endured years of instability and disappointment, finishing last in 2025 despite repeated management reshuffles.

Horner brings a proven winning pedigree and decisive leadership. Alpine have already shown their appetite for bold changes, most notably with Flavio Briatore’s return as executive advisor in 2024. Adding Horner to the mix would further underline that aggressive reset.

The backdrop to Horner’s Red Bull departure remains complex, marked by internal power struggles, public criticism from Jos Verstappen, and the exits of key figures including Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley.

While the full story may never emerge, one thing is clear: Red Bull moved on, and Horner has been positioning himself for a fresh start ever since.

Speculation has even linked him to a potential alliance with Briatore and former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone — a prospect that drew a tongue-in-cheek response from Toto Wolff, who joked about “the mafia reunited.”

“It would be an exciting story,” Wolff said. “And Formula One needs that kind of buzz.”