Ecclestone reveals the team he wanted Horner to lead

Christian Horner's Formula 1 future has been the subject of relentless speculation since his shock departure last yearfrom Red Bull, but Bernie Ecclestone has now disclosed the destination he believes would suit his longtime close best.

The former Formula 1 supremo has revealed he personally tried to steer Horner toward Ferrari after the Briton's Red Bull tenure came to an abrupt end in July 2025, arguing that any other move could leave the 51-year-old trapped by impossible expectations.

Horner has since been linked with several possible routes back into the paddock, from launching his own operation to acquiring the 24% stake in Alpine currently being sold by Otro Capital. But Ecclestone had an entirely different plan in mind.

Ecclestone feared Horner faced an impossible challenge

Having spoken regularly with Horner since his Red Bull exit, Ecclestone admitted he warned his friend about the risks attached to any comeback.

"Christian's in a difficult position anyway," the 95-year-old told reporters at the Austrian Grand Prix last weekend.

For Ecclestone, the biggest hurdle isn't finding another job – it's escaping the shadow of two decades of success at Red Bull.

"Wherever he goes, if he doesn't succeed, people will say, 'Ah, Christian, you were very good when you were with Red Bull with big budgets and things like that, and that now you are not winning because of that', or something.

"So, it's difficult for him. I speak to him quite a bit. Early on, I was trying to convince him to try and be at Ferrari."

The revelation adds fresh intrigue to the ongoing speculation over Horner's next move, with Ferrari joining the long list of hypothetical destinations that could have reshaped the Formula 1 landscape.

Ferrari remains a mystery as Ecclestone eyes Verstappen too

Whether Horner will ever find himself on the Ferrari pit wall is another matter entirely.

Asked if he believes the former Red Bull boss will eventually return to Formula 1 with the Scuderia, Ecclestone admitted he has no inside knowledge: “[I] have no idea,” he said.

Horner isn't the only high-profile figure Ecclestone believes Ferrari should have targeted. The veteran powerbroker also revealed he would have encouraged reigning stars to make the jump to Maranello, singling out Max Verstappen as the driver he would have pursued.

"I would have advised him, uh, last year, go to Ferrari,” he said.

• Read also: Ecclestone reveals what he still misses about managing Formula 1

Assessing the Scuderia’s current state of affairs, Ecclestone reiterated his long standing belief about the Italian outfit.

"Trouble with Ferrari, I think there's too many Italians that's involved explaining what to do and what not to do," he said. "You just need really one person do this or do that. Whether they're right or wrong, time will tell them."

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