Christian Horner comeback posed with F1 team in crisis

A comeback for Christian Horner at a struggling F1 team has been posed after the termination of his Red Bull contract.

Horner and Red Bull officially parted ways after he was relieved of his operational duties at the team in July, and replaced by Racing Bulls chief Laurent Mekies.

Alongside an official statement from Red Bull, reports circulated that Horner had received a payout of £80million and could return to the grid as soon as the first half of the 2026 season.

The avenue for Horner’s return is yet to be revealed, although a report from the Daily Mail suggests an F1 team in crisis has emerged as an option.

Their report states that Horner is ‘seeking a route back’ to the sport and would likely ‘want equity in a team’, something he did not have at Red Bull. The report went on to reveal that Haas F1 team have been ‘mooted by some decent sources as a possible destination.’

Could Christian Horner lead Haas F1 resurgence?

Haas have endured a disappointing 2025 season thus far, with new drivers Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman unable to battle consistently for points in the Haas VF-25.

Where midfield rivals Racing Bulls, Sauber and Williams have all acquired surprise podiums this year, Haas are currently languishing down in ninth in the standings, as their form in F1 continues to fluctuate.

Over their first decade in F1, Haas have never won a race or finished on the podium, with their best season finish taking place in 2018 with fifth place.

In 2024, long-term team principal Guenther Steiner was axed by team owner Gene Haas, and replaced by Ayao Komatsu, who lifted the team from last in the constructors’ in 2023 to seventh in 2024.

This year however, Komatsu’s team have been unable to improve on this potential, with Haas once again following a decent season with a decline in performance.

It is a pattern their team owner would have been hoping to break with the appointment of Komatsu, and with 2026 posing a fresh start for Haas, will they make a bid for one of the paddock’s most celebrated figures to improve their fortunes?

Horner helped Red Bull achieve six constructors’ titles and eight drivers’ titles over his 20-year career; however if he is pursuing ownership within a team, Gene Haas might have something to say about that.

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