Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has pushed for Christian Horner to move to Alpine, arguing that Flavio Briatore’s time at the team has come to an end.
Schumacher: Horner has the technical skills to benefit Alpine
Speaking to German newspaper Bild, Schumacher said he believes the sport calls for more skilled leaders than the likes of Briatore, who is the current de facto team principal of Alpine after Oliver Oakes’s recent resignation.
“I think the time of figures like Flavio is over,” said Schumacher. “You need technically skilled people at the top, someone like Horner.
“Flavio could then help as an organiser and networker, as a face to the outside world.”
This comes as talk surrounding Horner’s next move grows ever more speculative. The former Red Bull CEO and team principal was let go from his role in a shock announcement in July, two decades after he began leading the team.
No official reason has been given for his departure, but it came as Red Bull continues to struggle against McLaren in the 2025 F1 season, and after former chief technical officer and key engineer Adrian Newey exited the team earlier this year.
Rumours originally floated around that Horner might find a spot within Ferrari – but this seems like less of a possibility after current boss Fred Vasseur signed a new multi-year contract in July.
Alpine in precarious position following high-profile departures
Briatore, former Renault managing director, was forced to resign after the Crashgate scandal of the 2008 season and was banned from all F1 and FIA-sanctioned events indefinitely. These bans were overturned by French courts in 2010, and he returned to F1 in 2024 as executive advisor to Alpine.
Then, following the surprise resignation of Oliver Oakes in May, Briatore became de facto team principal for Alpine. Former Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo, who was a staunch supporter of Briatore’s return to F1, also resigned in June, leaving Alpine in a less-than-desirable spot.
The introduction of a leader as experienced as Horner could be particularly beneficial for Alpine and the precarious position the team finds itself in, especially given the substantial changes to F1 regulations being put into place in 2026.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, pundit and former F1 driver Karun Chandhok was doubtful about a return for Horner in the near future.
“Does he want a little bit of time away? He’s been in the pressure cooker of F1 for 20 years at the forefront,” he said.
“He’s never missed a race, famously. We’ve heard other team bosses, Zak Brown and Toto Wolff, occasionally not going to a race.
“Christian has not missed a race since he has been in charge of Red Bull at the first race in 2005. It’s been a long time, so perhaps he wants a bit of time out.”
Chandhok: Briatore has no interest in running Alpine
But Chandhok didn’t rule out the possibility of Alpine potentially becoming a new home for Horner.
“They’ve hired Steve Nielsen as a managing director. Christian’s old friend, Flavio Briatore, is in charge as an executive consultant.”
Chandhok also implied that Briatore may not last long in his position, stating he has no vested interest in running the team on a regular basis.
“Flavio doesn’t want to be team principal,” he said. “He doesn’t want to run the team day to day. He’s got Steve Nielsen there as the Managing Director but I can imagine there’s a few wheels and cogs being turned in the background for Christian to at least have a role there.”
