- Christian Horner has the FIA president’s full backing for a Formula 1 return.
- Ben Sulayem calls him irreplaceable, citing 21 seasons and eight drivers’ titles.
- Alpine talks continue, but deal remains elusive ahead of September deadline.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has publicly called for Christian Horner’s return to Formula 1, saying the sport is poorer without him.
Speaking to media, including RacingNews365, Ben Sulayem said he remains in regular contact with the former Red Bull team principal and believes a comeback is both welcome and inevitable.
“If you ask me, we miss him in this sport, and I do [stay in touch],” Ben Sulayem said. “He was good for the team, good for the sport.”
Ben Sulayem’s endorsement
Horner, 52, was dismissed by Red Bull in July 2025, roughly 10 months ago. Ben Sulayem met him in Paris in January this year and has kept in touch since.
The FIA president’s public comments mark the clearest signal yet from within the sport’s establishment that Horner remains a wanted figure.
The FIA president did not hedge his support for the former Red Bull Team Principal.
“Who can remove Christian Horner’s name from motorsport and Formula 1?” he said. “You can’t. It was always successful. But success also has enemies, as we know.”
The FIA president expressed total confidence that any return would feel seamless, as though Christian Horner had never left.
“When he comes back, it will be like he went for a vacation,” he remarked, a notably light-hearted framing for a departure that was anything but smooth.
A record built over two decades
Horner spent 21 seasons as Red Bull team principal. In that time, the team claimed six constructors’ championships, eight drivers’ titles and 124 grand prix victories.
He guided Sebastian Vettel to four consecutive world titles and then oversaw Max Verstappen’s run of dominance. The 2023 season stood as his peak, with Red Bull winning 21 of 22 races.
Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko later said performance was the primary reason for Horner’s sacking, with the team sitting fourth in the constructors’ standings at the time.
His exit also followed a period of internal tension, high-profile resignations and earlier allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
Ben Sulayem argued that Horner’s track record should carry more weight than the manner of his departure.
“When someone like him has that history behind him, you don’t look at his credibility,” he said. “People will come to him.”
The Alpine link and what Horner wants next
Since leaving Red Bull, Horner has held talks with nearly every team on the grid, according to his own account on Australia’s Today show in February.
He was clear that any return would look different from his previous role.
“If I were to come back, it would be in a slightly different role to the one that I performed the last 21 years or so,” he said.
The most talked-about possibility involves Alpine. Horner and a group of investors have been in discussions over the 24% stake currently held by US firm Otro Capital, the same equity position linked to actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore confirmed negotiations are ongoing, though he stressed his personal friendship with Horner has little to do with the process.
A deal has not been reached. Alpine is not expected to make a decision on the Otro Capital stake until September 2026.
Reports have also noted that a potential role at Audi is also under discussion. However, it would require relocation to Switzerland, something Horner never did during his years at Red Bull.
The door stays open
Horner’s gardening leave has now ended, and reports suggest he could return to work in F1 as early as this month. He is not looking to simply run a team again. He wants co-ownership and a broader strategic role.
Ben Sulayem made his position simple.
“We would welcome him back, and someone like him will always find his way,” he said. “He’s been a character in the sport.”
The FIA president’s public backing places institutional weight behind Horner’s return.
Whether the destination turns out to be Alpine, Audi or somewhere else entirely, the message from the top of motorsport’s governing body is unambiguous: Horner belongs in the paddock.
