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Christian Horner flags Aston Martin concern he wouldn’t be able to fix under Lawrence Stroll

Originally posted on HITC | By Kyle Archer | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 10:00 AM ET

Christian Horner has been looking for a way back into Formula 1 since being sacked by Red Bull, and both Aston Martin and Alpine have started to look like realistic options.

The 52-year-old spent two decades in charge of Red Bull, a role he took on after the energy drink company bought out Jaguar F1 from Ford. During his time in charge, Red Bull won eight drivers’ titles and six constructors’ championships.

But while he was at Red Bull, Horner never got shares in the team, something he’d always wanted. That could change when he returns to F1. Reports now say he’s deep into talks to buy Otro Capital’s 24% stake in Alpine.

According to an exclusive report from F1 Oversteer, investment group Otro Capital would be delighted if Horner gets involved with Alpine. His potential deal would value the team at £2.5bn. In 2023, Otro Capital bought its 24% share from Renault for £173m—a stake now worth £600m.

Horner unlikely to join Aston Martin due to restrictions on driver changes under Stroll

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Aston Martin have been mentioned regularly as a possible next step for Horner since his departure from Red Bull, especially as their results continued to slip and he looked for more control. However, the structure in place under Lawrence Stroll makes a move there unlikely.

According to GPBlog, Horner has no plans to get involved with Aston Martin under the current leadership. Adrian Newey and Andy Cowell both report directly to Stroll, who has the final say on all major decisions.

The main sticking point appears to be that Horner would not have the authority to make changes. That includes the driver line-up, which is locked in part because Stroll’s son Lance holds one of the seats.

Lance Stroll expected to remain at Aston Martin while his father owns the team

Both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso are set to finish their contracts with Aston Martin after the 2026 season. Even so, most believe that Stroll’s spot is secure as long as his father continues to own the team and hold the executive chairman role.

Lawrence has put a lot of resources into helping his son not only break into F1 but also stay there. Lance first appeared on the grid with Williams in 2017 before moving to Racing Point in 2019, following Lawrence’s purchase of Force India. The team later became Aston Martin in 2021.

Stroll might not ever be considered one of the top drivers on the grid, and he’s been regularly outperformed by Alonso since the two-time world champion joined in 2023. Still, he has shown flashes of brilliance, particularly in wet conditions, even if those moments don’t come around often.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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