Christian Horner has returned to the Formula 1 paddock at the British Grand Prix, using his first appearance since leaving Red Bull Racing to address speculation over a possible comeback with Alpine or a BYD-linked project.
The former Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal was back at Silverstone amid growing interest around his next move, with rumours connecting him both to a minority stake in Alpine and to a potential 12th Formula 1 team involving Chinese automotive giant BYD. His paddock return followed his abrupt exit from the Milton Keynes squad in July 2025, a departure that has kept him at the centre of one of F1’s most persistent off-track storylines. For more on the significance of his Silverstone appearance, read our report on Christian Horner’s first F1 paddock appearance since his Red Bull exit.
Horner returns as a spectator
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 ahead of the British Grand Prix, Horner framed the visit less as a political statement and more as a personal return to familiar ground.
“First time I've come back, so it's great to be back here at Silverstone,” Horner said. “Ultimately, I'm a fan. I've not missed one since '93, so it's good to be here.”
That line was carefully pitched. Horner’s presence in the paddock was always going to invite scrutiny, but he avoided giving a direct indication that a formal role is imminent.
Asked whether fans could see him return as a competitor, Horner kept his answer deliberately measured. He said he had valued time away after a long, uninterrupted spell at Red Bull and suggested any future involvement would need to be built around genuine competitive potential.
“Look, I've enjoyed my time out. I did 20 years straight with the Red Bull guys. I was obviously doing other stuff before that, so it's the first time I've ever had a bit of time to get off the hamster wheel,” he said.
“But for me, I'd only look at doing the right thing, something that really had an opportunity to win at the end of the day.”
Alpine and BYD speculation continues
Horner also addressed the links to Alpine and BYD without confirming any active plan. He pointed instead to Formula 1’s current strength and the level of outside interest in entering the championship.
“The great thing is that Formula 1 is in such a great place, and the racing's been super this year,” he said. “Stepping back and watching it from behind the scenes, the interest in Formula 1 is sky-high. So there's so much interest from people who want to get involved in Formula 1. We'll see. I'm in no rush.”
On BYD, Horner added: “Huge entity, huge, huge, huge company. But there has been so much speculation. I think I've been [linked] to every team on the grid so far, so I'm just here to enjoy the racing.”
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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