Horner Takes Private Equity Role as Route Back to F1 Takes Shape

Christian Horner has been appointed as a special advisor on investments in premium sports to Oakley Capital, a leading private equity firm — a move that adds a significant professional dimension to his portfolio as he continues to pursue a return to Formula 1.

The role will see Horner work alongside Oakley Capital's existing sports investments, which include Athena Racing — the sailing outfit challenging for the America's Cup — as well as interests in padel and golf brands.

The Appeal of the Role

For Horner, the appointment represents a natural extension of the commercial instincts he honed across more than a decade at the top of the paddock. Speaking about the move, he pointed to both the growth trajectory of the sports sector and his longstanding admiration for the firm's philosophy.

"Sports businesses are benefiting from growing global audiences and participation rates as more people embrace healthier, active lifestyles," Horner said. "I have known and respected Peter [Dubens] and the Oakley team for many years and have always admired their approach to building ambitious, founder-led businesses. Oakley Capital has established a strong reputation across the sports and consumer landscape, and I look forward to working together in the future and sharing my experience to help support the next generation of standout sports businesses."

Oakley Capital's founder and managing partner, Peter Dubens, was equally forthcoming about why Horner was the right fit. "Christian Horner is widely recognised as a highly successful leader in global sport," Dubens said. "His track record, expertise and commercial instinct will be invaluable as we continue to scale our sports portfolio. We are increasingly drawn to businesses in this space that share the hallmarks of a typical Oakley investment: founder-led, high-growth and supported by resilient revenues, or under-commercialised 'scarce' assets with significant untapped potential. We look forward to working with Christian in order to unlock these opportunities."

The Bigger Picture: A Path Back to the Paddock

The Oakley Capital appointment arrives at a pivotal moment in Horner's post-Red Bull chapter — one in which his eyes remain firmly fixed on the Formula 1 grid. The Briton is actively seeking a route back into the sport as a shareholder in a team, and on that front, there has been considerable movement on multiple fronts.

As we reported, Horner has held serious discussions with BYD of China over a possible 12th F1 team entry — conversations described as substantial. However, his primary focus is understood to be on acquiring the 24% stake in Alpine that Otro Capital is looking to offload. A consortium assembled by Horner is reportedly in a strong financial position to make that move happen, making the Enstone-based outfit the more immediate priority.

The combination of a high-profile private equity advisory role and active deal-making in F1 ownership circles paints the picture of a figure far from finished with the sport — and one methodically building the infrastructure for a meaningful return.

The Appeal of the Role