In the wild, unpredictable world of Formula 1, where paddock gossip travels faster than a DRS-enabled Red Bull, the latest rumour making the rounds is that Christian Horner might be flirting with a shock move to Alpine.
The Enstone squad, which has juggled team principals like a pit crew swapping tyres under pressure, and which is now helmed by motorsport Bond villain Flavio Briatore, is looking for fresh leadership following Oliver Oakes’ sudden departure last month.
According to the paddock’s always entertaining rumor mill, Horner has “opened discussions” with Alpine. That phrase, of course, could mean anything from a casual chat at the motorhome’s espresso machine to an exploratory Zoom call between the two parties.
After all, Horner’s position at Red Bull is apparently not quite the fortress it once was. The long-time team boss, who built the outfit into a championship juggernaut, is said to be losing influence internally.
Red Bull’s Thai ownership reportedly isn’t backing the Briton as firmly as before, while some of his key responsibilities – like the ability to sign drivers – have been handed over to CEO Oliver Mintzlaff and Helmut Marko.
Christian Horner on the grid in Hungary last year with Red Bull co-owner Chalerm Yoovidhya and his wife.
It is believed that this was changed in the wake of the Sergio Pérez contract saga, which reportedly cost Red Bull $18 million in early termination fees. Ouch!
There are also allegedly tensions that continue to linger at Milton Keynes, remnants of the now-closed harassment investigation involving Horner that added last year a heavy dose of drama to an already pressure-filled environment.
It’s said to have left the atmosphere at Red Bull… let’s say, less than peaceful and serene.
And so the rumour mill spins: could Horner really trade the top tier of the Constructors’ standings for the turmoil of Enstone?
It's a stretch. Horner leaving Red Bull is technically possible, but highly unlikely unless the stars align, Mercury retrogrades, and half the paddock comes down with a sudden urge to reinvent themselves.
And just to spice things up further, whispers have even linked him to Ferrari in recent weeks – though that rumour feels even more like an Italian daydream than a feasible career move.
Still, in F1, stranger things have been known to happen. Just ask Fernando Alonso.
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If Horner were to jump ship, perhaps it would bring some calm to Red Bull’s internal storm and give Max Verstappen the stability he craves.
But until we see Horner swapping his navy blue for Alpine’s shade of ‘bleu, blanc, et baffled,’ this one remains firmly in the rumour category – filed somewhere between ‘maybe’ and ‘highly doubtful but fun to talk about.’
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