CHRISTIAN HORNER’S dream Formula One return has taken a major knock after discussions with one team were hit with a flat tyre.
The 51-year-old was sacked as Red Bull team principal in July following a poor result at the British Grand Prix, before he received a mega-money £80million payout to leave the team completely.
AFPChristian Horner has been dealt a major blow to his F1 return plans[/caption]
AlamyHaas team principal Ayao Komatsu confirmed talks had collapsed between Horner and the team[/caption]
But Horner, formerly the longest-serving F1 team chief after spending 20 years with Red Bull, is already plotting a route back into the motorsport for 2026.
SunSport understands taking a lower payout offer – with the maximum he could have taken being £110m – means he is free to return to F1 as early as spring 2026.
That has seen him linked with a number of constructors including Alpine, Aston Martin – where old friend Adrian Newey now works – and Haas.
Talks with the latter of these teams were confirmed ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix by team principal Ayao Komatsu.
Komatsu, who replaced Drive to Survive fan favourite Guenther Steiner as Haas boss in January 2024, said “exploratory” talks had taken place, but that they would not be going any further.
He said: “It’s true that he approached us and one of our guys had an exploratory, let’s say, talk.
“But that was it. Nothing’s going any further. I’ve got nothing more to say on that one.”
Horner’s move back into F1 is likely to see him demand more than simply being a team principal.
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It is understood he is keen to be in a position where he has complete control, likely coming in the form of buying shares in a team – whether that is partial or a full takeover.
While Haas lacks the capital of many of their larger F1 rivals, owner Gene Haas has repeatedly shown no interest in selling any part of his shareholding in the team.
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