Does F1 miss Christian Horner? Zak Brown responds after ‘things went sideways’
Former Red Bull boss Christian Horner had a bitter rivalry with McLaren chief executive Zak Brown
Zak Brown, the McLaren chief executive, is convinced that Christian Horner will be back in F1 in the future after “things went sideways” at Red Bull.
Horner was sacked by Red Bull after more than 20 years in charge in the aftermath of July’s British Grand Prix, with Racing Bulls boss Laurent Mekies installed as his replacement as chief executive and team principal of the Red Bull Racing team.
Zak Brown: ‘Things went sideways’ for Christian Horner at Red Bull
Mekies’ arrival coincided with an impressive turnaround by the team, with Max Verstappen winning six of the final nine races to fall just two points short of McLaren’s Lando Norris in the drivers’ championship.
As revealed by PlanetF1.com, Horner reached a $100million settlement with Red Bull in September, opening the door to a return to F1 at some point during the 2026 season.
The 52-year-old was recently linked with a comeback with Aston Martin before Adrian Newey, his former colleague at Red Bull, was appointed the new team principal of the Silverstone-based team for 2026.
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It remains to be seen whether Horner could link up with Aston Martin in the future, with the former Red Bull boss thought to be prioritising a shareholding or ownership position with his expected F1 return.
Brown and Horner were embroiled in a bitter rivalry across the final years of the latter’s Red Bull tenure, with McLaren claiming a drivers’ and constructors’ title double for the first time since 1998 this season.
Appearing on talkSPORT, Brown voiced his confidence that Horner will return to F1 in the future, admitting that “things went sideways” for the former Red Bull boss over recent years.
Put to him that McLaren had to effectively knock Red Bull and Verstappen off their perch in F1 2025, Brown said: “Which is not easy because they’re an unbelievable team. And Max Verstappen’s the greatest driver of the modern era.”
Asked if F1 misses Horner, he hesitated before adding: “Yeah, in the sense of… I mean, he’s an unbelievable team boss.
“Obviously, things went sideways the last couple of years. I think he’ll be back.
“But I think sport is filled with characters: good guys, bad guys, all different.
“I think that’s what makes the sport fascinating.”
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Brown’s latest comments come after he claimed last month that Horner “changed” as a result of his success and the fame he achieved at Red Bull.
The McLaren boss told the Telegraph: “I’ve known Christian for 30-plus years. We used to get on. His results are amazing, so hats off.
“But he’s changed. I think the Drive to Survive fame, the money, the glory all got a bit much.”
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