Christian Horner Visits FIA President in Paris Amid Alpine Ownership Interest
Christian Horner met FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem in Paris, while Alpine confirmed the former Red Bull boss is part of an investor group interested in buying into the team, highlighting his potential return to F1 in a new role.
Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner met with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem at the federation's Paris offices, a visit Ben Sulayem described as a friendly catch-up. This comes as Alpine confirmed Horner is part of an investor group that has expressed interest in acquiring a stake in the struggling F1 team, following exploratory talks by existing shareholder Otro Capital.
Why it matters:
The meeting between a prominent former team boss and the sport's top regulator, framed as a personal visit, occurs against a backdrop of significant commercial and political shifts in F1. Simultaneously, Horner's confirmed interest in Alpine ownership signals potential major changes in the team's structure and leadership, highlighting the fluid nature of team investments in the sport's current growth phase.
The details:
- FIA Meeting: Ben Sulayem shared photos of the Paris meeting on social media with the caption "Wonderful to welcome Christian Horner... Good to see you my friend." The FIA President was re-elected unopposed last December.
- Alpine Ownership Interest: Alpine issued a statement confirming that "multiple interested parties" are looking at the team due to rising F1 team valuations.
- Horner's Role: The team specified that one interested party is "a group of investors, which also includes Christian Horner." Discussions are held directly with shareholders Otro Capital (24%) and Renault Group (76%), not with team management.
- Team's Stated Focus: Alpine emphasized its current priority is improving on-track competitiveness for the 2026 new regulation era, calling it a "unique opportunity" for a performance recovery.
What's next:
The situation places Horner at a potential crossroads. While his visit to the FIA may be personal, it fuels speculation about a future formal role within the sport's governance. More immediately, all eyes are on whether the investor group he's part of can reach a deal with Alpine's shareholders. If successful, it could mark Horner's dramatic return to the F1 grid in a team ownership capacity, fundamentally altering Alpine's trajectory ahead of the crucial 2026 rules reset.