Rumors had been swirling for months. In Barcelona, Flavio Briatore finally put an end to them. Without officially confirming Christian Horner's arrival at Alpine, the Enstone-based boss hinted that genuine discussions were underway, opening the door to a major return to Formula 1.
Alpine: Barcelona, scene of a half-spoken confession
This is at the heart of the livery launch Alpine 2026, between spotlights and carefully crafted speeches, that Flavio Briatore chose to cultivate ambiguity. When questioned about the interest of Christian horner For the Enstone team, the Italian neither denied nor confirmed, but above all, he no longer closed the door.
Since his surprise departure from Red Bull during the season last year, Horner is regularly associated with a return to F1. Aston Martin briefly explored the option before changing its mind. Alpine now appears to be the most credible option, particularly through the 24% minority stake held by Otro Capital and a consortium of investors.
This stake, acquired in 2023, has seen its value increase significantly despite the inconsistent performance ofAlpine on the track. A detail that is far from insignificant: Horner has always preferred shareholding to a simple executive role.
Briatore admitted it without hesitation, as quoted by The Race : " Right now, it's total confusion. Every day, new groups call me about Otro. I don't care. »
Before explaining the mechanism: If someone buys Otro's 24% stake, Renault will retain 75%, and then we'll discuss it. But for now, that's the situation.
In other words : Horner would not negotiate with Alpine, but with its shareholders. A crucial distinction.
Briatore et Horner They have known each other for decades. They shared the same era of power, the same hard and centralized vision of F1. Officially, Briatore insists:
"I've been talking with Christian for a long time, but it has nothing to do with me. He's negotiating with Otro, not with us."
Unofficially, it's difficult to imagine Horner returning to Enstone without at least the tacit approval of Briatore, who is now acting de facto as team manager, despite the appointment of Steve Nielsen as general manager
When asked about the potential value of Horner for Alpine, Briatore did not dodge:
"Everyone can be an asset to the team, depending on the position they are assigned. No problem."
A loaded statement. Last August, Briatore was still asserting that Horner was not " not in the plans ofAlpine Today, the vocabulary has changed and the timing is questionable, whileAlpine is undergoing a major strategic restructuring.
Even if Otro's shares are bought out, Renault would retain control. Approval would not be automatic, and power would remain asymmetrical. But a minority stake would be enough to bring back one of the most influential men in the F1 at the heart of the game.
For the moment, Alpine He talks about hypotheses. Briatore said he didn't care. HornerHe, however, remained silent. Formula 1This silence is never neutral, and ambiguity is often the most eloquent confirmation.
