F1 team make Christian Horner decision after nightmare start to season
Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is reportedly out of the running to become Aston Martin’s new boss as the British team looks to replace Adrian Newey after a poor start to the 2026 F1 campaign.
Horner previously worked at Red Bull for 20 years before being sacked in July 2025. The 52-year-old, who led the manufacturer to eight drivers’ championships and six constructors’ titles, reportedly agreed a severance deal worth in the region of £52 million.
Since departing Red Bull, he has been out of work. However, recent reports have linked the Englishman with a return to F1.
Aston Martin are reportedly seeking a replacement for Newey, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 designers — having designed 26 world championship-winning cars — and arrived at Aston Martin in 2024 while also becoming a shareholder. However, according to GB News, Horner is not seen as an option to succeed Newey.
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Speaking ahead of the 2026 F1 campaign in January, Horner said that he has “unfinished business” in the sport.
“It didn’t finish the way that I would have liked it to finish,” he explained.
“But I am not going to come back for just anything. I am only going to come back for something that can win. I don’t want to go back into the paddock unless I have something to do. I miss the sport, I miss the people, I miss the team that I built. I had 21 incredible years in Formula One. I had a great run, won a lot of races and championships, and worked with some amazing drivers, engineers and partners.
“I don’t need to go back. I could stop my career now. So I would only go back for the right opportunity to work with great people, and to work in an environment where people want to win and share that desire.”
Newey is not expected to be sacked and would likely move into another role within the team, focusing on the car rather than managing the whole team.
Just last week, reports from Planet F1 suggested that Red Bull head of racing Gianpiero Lambiase had been contacted about the role but turned it down, while Audi’s Head of F1 Project, Mattia Binotto, has also reportedly rejected an approach.
Ex-McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl is also believed to be a target for Aston Martin, while Jonathan Wheatley’s recent Audi exit makes him a potential candidate.
In the first two races of the season — in Australia and China — Aston’s drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, struggled due to issues with their Honda engines, causing vibrations.
In Melbourne, Alonso did not finish, while Stroll wound up 17th, before both failed to reach the chequered flag in Shanghai.
The F1 season continues this weekend, with the Japanese Grand Prix set to take place on 29 March.
Topics: Formula 1, Christian Horner, Motorsport
Luke Davies