The chances of Christian Horner making his Formula One return with Alpine are increasing amid claims he has set his sights on Otro Capital’s minority stake in the team.
Along with Aston Martin, Alpine have long been seen as one of Horner’s likeliest landing spots as he eyes a return to the paddock following his shock dismissal in the summer. And a report in De Telegraaf in the Netherlands has claimed the former Red Bull F1 chief is keen on Otro Capital’s minority stake in the team.
Horner is understood to want equity in, and full control of, any team he ends up running. Not only are Alpine well located for him in Enstone – he lives in Oxfordshire – they would offer the potential for both of his stipulations to be met.
Taking over Otro Capital’s 24 per cent stake would make a lot of sense. The American investment vehicle is part of the broader RedBird–Maximum Effort consortium that invested in Alpine in 2023. That group includes sporting and entertainment figures such as golfer Rory McIlroy, Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and actors Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and Michael B Jordan.
It is an open secret that Otro Capital has been exploring selling its stake. Indeed it seems Alpine would like them to. Flavio Briatore, now serving as Alpine’s executive advisor, made some pointed remarks about Otro recently. “We don’t need a sleeping partner,” Briatore told Boardroom at the United States Grand Prix in Austin this year.
Whether Horner can convince Otro to sell to him, and whether Renault, Alpine’s majority shareholder, would agree to it and install Horner as their new chief remains to be seen. Money is unlikely to be an issue. Horner is understood to have plenty of investors prepared to back his return if it means a stake in F1. And the team certainly needs an overhaul, having finished 10th and last in the 2025 championship. Horner has a proven track record, having led Red Bull to six constructors’ championships, eight world drivers’ championships, and 124 grands prix victories – the second most as a team principal in history.
Horner is also good friends with Briatore, which may help to smooth any deal, although whether the 52-year-old would work with the Italian if he came in, or replace him, would be another interesting element. Briatore is 75 and has had health issues in recent years, including cancer and heart surgery.
One potential fly in the ointment is Alpine’s deal with Mercedes to supply the team with power units and gearboxes until the end of 2030. Mercedes are expected to have the most competitive power unit when radical new regulations come into effect next season. But Mercedes F1 are run and co-owned by Horner’s arch-nemesis Toto Wolff, who may object to supplying any Horner-run team. Whether in practice he could prevent that happening is another question.
As part of Horner’s settlement with Red Bull earlier this year, it is understood he will be allowed to return to the paddock by next spring.