Horner says ownership stake would be central to any Formula One return

Christian Horner has said an ownership stake would be central to any return he makes to Formula One, while acknowledging that he may never work in the championship again. In an interview published by the Guardian on Monday, the former Red Bull team principal said he would return only for an opportunity with people committed to winning.

Watch the highlights:

Horner used the interview to clarify earlier remarks about Ferrari being a dream job. He said those comments had been taken out of context and praised Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur as an experienced operator. Although he described Ferrari as Formula One's biggest and most historic brand, Horner said the team would not sell shares, contrasting that with the ownership element he wants in a potential next role.

The 52-year-old said he had assembled financial backing to consider another move in the sport, but did not announce a new appointment or an agreed investment. He told the Guardian he was prepared to wait months or years for an appropriate opening. Returning was not essential, he said, and he would not accept a role simply to participate rather than compete to win.

Horner left Red Bull in July 2025 after leading the team for two decades. Reflecting on that period, he cited 124 race victories and 14 world championships, comprising six constructors' titles and eight drivers' titles. He also said the organisation had grown from fewer than 400 people when he arrived in 2005 to 2,200 by the time of his departure.

A particular focus of the interview was Red Bull's engine project, which Horner said he established in 2021. The Guardian reported that Max Verstappen's recent Bahrain victory was the team's first with an engine built entirely by Red Bull, followed by another win in Singapore. Horner said he watched the Bahrain race on television, felt proud of the achievement and exchanged messages with people at the team.

Horner described the manner of his exit as painful but said he now had a reasonable relationship with senior Red Bull executive Oliver Mintzlaff, who had recently thanked him for his contribution to the engine programme. For now, Horner remains outside Formula One. He said he misses the people and competition, while identifying the sport as the work that still most motivates him.