Christian Horner has been tipped as a future team principal for Alpine on the condition that Flavio Briatore is willing to accommodate the Brit becoming a shareholder in the F1 team. The 51-year-old has been out of work since leaving Red Bull in the aftermath of the British Grand Prix.

Horner served 20 years as the team principal of Red Bull, guiding the Milton Keynes squad from their inception to 14 World Championship. However, with the team free-falling since early 2024 and Max Verstappen’s future up in the air, the organisation’s hierarchy opted to make a change and dismiss their long-serving chief.

The Brit has not yet returned to the paddock, but has been touted as a future option for the likes of Ferrari, Cadillac and Alpine. According to former Red Bull F1 driver Robert Doornbos, the latter are the logical landing spot for one of the sport’s most decorated team principals.

"Knowing Christian, yes [he will return]," Doornbos told Motorsport.com. “Let's not forget, he's incredibly young. He already has 20 years of experience, but he's still only 51. 20 years of experience as an F1 team principal and CEO of one of the world's largest brands, in both automotive and marketing.

“His successes speak for themselves." Discussing the prospect of an ownership role, Doornbos continued: “That was the only thing missing. What Lawrence Stroll or Toto Wolff have [at Aston Martin and Mercedes]. You simply want to be a shareholder.”

Looking at Horner’s options for a shareholder role, Doornbos narrowed the shortlist down to one. “Only Alpine, if I go down the list," he continued. "That would be a team that, at some point, is in such dire straits and says, 'We're at a loss'.

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“Flavio isn't going to do it forever. Christian [could] say, 'I like a project like that, I'll take it on, and I want shares, then we'll make it a huge success again'. There are also bright minds there who have been successful in the past.”

If Horner sees Doornbos’ prediction through and links up with Team Enstone, he would inherit a squad struggling for direction at the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship standings. Alpine have accumulated just 20 points in the first 14 races of 2025, leaving them 15 points behind ninth-placed Haas.

There is a struggle on the driver line-up side, too. Pierre Gasly is locked in for the long term and continues to deliver at an elite level, but Franco Colapinto’s future is far from assured with the Argentine racer now operating on a race-by-race basis after failing to score points in his first eight outings for the squad.