EXCLUSIVE: Christian Horner’s “only way” back to F1 pinpointed by ex-Red Bull colleague

Ex-Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has been tipped to return to Formula 1 with Chinese car manufacturer BYD by one of his former colleagues.

Horner, who was sacked as Red Bull CEO and team principal last July, is said to be in talks over a potential tie-up that could see him become the head of a 12th team entry with BYD, which specialises in electric and hybrid vehicles.

The 52-year-old Briton was spotted with BYD’s executive vice president Stella Li at the Cannes Film Festival last month, prior to making a surprise appearance at the Monaco Formula E race.

Speaking to Crash.net via Casino Groups, former Red Bull head of operations Richard Hopkins insisted Horner has unfinished business in F1 and will be determined to return if a suitable opening emerges.

“This one seems to be gathering quite a bit of steam, I have to say. I almost looked at my calendar and wondered if it was April 1st again,” Hopkins, who worked alongside Horner between 2013 and 2015, said of the rumours.

“But it does seem to be gathering quite a bit of momentum. I'm sure if Christian found out about that early, he was knocking on the door before anybody else. It would make sense. Christian’s not done yet. He's too young, he hasn't achieved everything he wants to achieve.

“I think what he's looking for is equity within the team. Whether that's a possibility with the global might of BYD, whether Christian and a consortium can buy into that team, I don't know. But if you're on the market for somebody to run a team, why shouldn't it be Christian?”

Horner had been heavily linked with a buy-in of the Alpine team but that appears to be off the cards following reports that Renault would block a sale that had links to the former Red Bull team boss.

According to BBC Sport, Renault has decided to not continue with further talks after Mercedes pulled out of buying Otro Capital’s 24 per cent stake in Alpine. 

The report stated “the French brand has a power of veto over any sale of the Otro shares until September, and would have used that to block any sale to a group that had links with Horner.”

For Horner, BYD might now represent the “only way” back to F1.

“When you look up and down the grid at everything else, unless Lawrence Stroll is looking at selling out, which I don't think there's any notion [of] there, everything else seems fairly solid, doesn't it?” Hopkins added.

“So if the Alpine door is closed, BYD is probably the only one available, really. I don't think Christian is interested in just becoming a team principal again. I think that's changed, that's moved. But we'll see.”

Asked if he thinks F1 is missing characters like Horner, who was cast as being a pantomime villain during Red Bull’s fierce title fight with Mercedes in 2021, Hopkins replied: “I think it's great to have characters and love him or loathe him, Christian was a character. I don't think he necessarily set out to be controversial per se, but sometimes he did say some controversial things.

“Certainly the battle he had with Toto [Wolff, Mercedes boss], I think a lot of that was obviously manufactured. They were bitching and moaning to each other one minute and then they were sat in first class next to each other enjoying a glass of champagne that evening and having a jolly old laugh about it.

“I think a lot of it was done for the cameras and everything else, but I think it may be a bit of it sort of always backfired on him a little bit, unfairly. There's a lot of controversy around him for that particular year, warranted or not. But I think the guy will bounce back.”