Dethroning Mercedes not power the goal for ultra-competitive Christian Horner

Red Bull

Dethroning Mercedes not power the goal for ultra-competitive Horner

Horner had been linked with the role in the past

Ewan Gale

Monday 5 October 2020 12:31

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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has stated that becoming Formula 1 CEO was never in his thinking due to his burning desire to finally end Mercedes' domination of the sport.

Prior to the arrival of Liberty Media and Chase Carey in January 2017, Horner was rumoured to be in the running to take over from Bernie Ecclestone as 'F1 supremo'.

Almost four years on, former Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali will now be stepping in to replace Carey, who is to become non-executive chairman.

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Horner, though, insists he had no interest in the position as he is determined to see Red Bull again become F1 champions.

"I enjoy very much what I do," said Horner. "I enjoy competing, I enjoy the role that I do.

"I am now, believe it or not, the longest-serving team principal in Formula 1 and it’s gone by in a flash. My motivation is to get the team into a winning position again.

"I love racing, I love competing, I love working with the people who are part of our team. I feel a responsibility to them, to Red Bull and so for me, it’s not something I would consider at this stage in my career."

In chorus with the other nine team bosses across the paddock, Horner had nothing but praise and positive words to say about Domenicali, citing the Italian's character and knowledge of the sport as reasons the partnership will prosper.

"I think he’s a great guy," he continued. "We raced head-to-head against him for the 2010 and ’12 championships.

"He always had an awful lot of integrity, he was a gentleman and I think he will be an asset for the sport, he will be an asset for Liberty. He’s got that understanding and I think that as the sport evolves, he will bring a lot to it.

"I’ve got no complaints from our side but as far as my own focus is, I just want to get this team back into a winning position. Mercedes have had it their own way for far too many years."

Before you go...

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