Do you think Christian Horner will join Alpine as team principal? He’s apparently a great friend of [executive adviser] Flavio Briatore. – Carol
Since Horner was removed from his position at Red Bull, there have been suggestions in some quarters that he would be very attractive to a number of other teams in F1.
Alpine is one idea that is doing the rounds, although they have just signed Steve Nielsen as managing director – ie, de facto team principal – to start work in September.
Ferrari has come up again. And there is the question of whether he could return as a co-owner somewhere – Alpine, for example, is said to have about a 20% shareholding up for sale.
But is Horner as attractive an option as some have suggested?
He has been a very successful team principal at Red Bull – the team have won eight drivers’ titles, six constructors’ titles and 124 grands prix under his leadership.
And there is no question that Red Bull under Horner had a fleetness of foot and improvisational aggression that quite often left their rivals trailing.
But any team wanting to employ him will have to weigh that against potential downsides, many of which were involved in the reasons for Red Bull removing him.
Firstly, Horner typically wants total control. But you can’t have total control as a team principal if the team you are running is part of a wider company.
So, at Alpine, for example, he would ultimately be answerable to Renault’s board. At Ferrari, to chairman John Elkann and chief executive Benedetto Vigna. Ultimately, the power would rest with them, not Horner. Could he stomach that?
Then there is the question as to whether a single leader is still as impactful in F1 these days.
Look at McLaren, for example, and the success they have had with chief executive officer Zak Brown in charge, but focusing mainly on the commercial side, and Andrea Stella as team principal with responsibility for running the team itself.
Horner wanted to do all that – and more – himself.
Then there is the fact that Red Bull were clearly in decline under Horner.
A Horner-led Red Bull without design chief Adrian Newey has not looked anywhere near the force it used to be.
And then there are the allegations still hanging over Horner.
Red Bull might have cleared him in two separate internal investigations. But outside Red Bull there has been no conclusion to that episode. Until the outcome of that is known, any company that employs Horner is taking a significant reputational risk.