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Christian Horner could make his first appearance inside the Formula 1 paddock since being dismissed by Red Bull, with reports from the Netherlands suggesting he has been invited to attend the upcoming British Grand Prix.
The 52-year-old was removed from his role just days after last year’s British Grand Prix, following a long-running power struggle at Red Bull and a difficult start to the 2025 campaign for the Austrian constructor. Since then, Horner has largely stayed away from public motorsport appearances, with his visit to MotoGP’s Spanish Grand Prix at the end of April noted as the first time he had been seen at a major racing event.
Now, Silverstone may provide the stage for a more significant return. According to De Telegraaf journalist Erik van Haren, Horner has been “invited” to the British Grand Prix by “lots of other parties” within the sport, though not, it appears, by Red Bull.
The discussion came during De Telegraaf’s Formula 1 podcast, where Van Haren and Christijan Albers assessed how Red Bull has changed since Laurent Mekies took charge in Milton Keynes. Albers offered a pointed comparison between the two leadership styles, praising Mekies’ technical understanding and manner.
“He’s really in his element,” Albers said. “I also like the way he handles everything, and that’s not just because I know him very well, but I simply find him a pleasant person. He’s kind. He’s polite. He also takes things on board when you say something to him.”
Albers added that Mekies is “the perfect candidate” and argued that his technical grasp makes Red Bull easier to engage with. That theme mirrors recent attention on Red Bull’s direction under its new leadership, including Mekies’ own reaction to the team’s latest performance picture after Austria, covered in our report on Red Bull’s upgrade breakthrough under Laurent Mekies.
Van Haren suggested the team now feels less closed than before, saying the atmosphere is more welcoming and less “paranoid” than it had been.
Horner has also been connected with discussions involving BYD, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer whose vice president Stella Li has expressed interest in Formula 1. Whether any potential Silverstone appearance would relate to BYD’s possible route into the sport remains unclear.
For now, the prospect of Horner returning to the paddock at the same venue where he made his final appearance as Red Bull team principal gives the British Grand Prix an additional political subplot.
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.