Christian Horner’s F1 comeback hopes hit by Adrian Newey decision

Christian Horner and Adrian Newey — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Christian Horner’s F1 comeback hopes hit by Adrian Newey decision

Jonathan Wheatley is set to join Aston Martin as their new team principal

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 22 March 2026 19:00

Adrian Newey could have inadvertently closed the door on a Formula 1 return for his former colleague Christian Horner.

Currently serving as both team principal and managing technical partner at Aston Martin, Newey is reportedly considering stepping back from leadership duties to concentrate fully on car design — the area where he has built his legendary reputation.

As part of that potential transition, speculation suggests Newey has been involved in identifying a successor, with Aston Martin actively searching for a long-term team principal to lead the outfit forward.

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And it appears now that one of Newey's former Red Bull colleagues could be set to take over the role, with current Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley believed to be in talks with Aston Martin over taking the position at the Silverstone-based outfit.

In this sense, it seems as though Newey has blocked a potential Horner return to the sport, with the former Red Bull team principal having been linked to the role in the past.

GPFans have contacted Aston Martin for comment on the rumours that Newey could be set to stand down from his team principal role.

Horner's options running out

If the Aston Martin team principal role is filled by Wheatley, then that is yet another potential door for a Horner return that will close.

Horner was axed by his Red Bull team last July after 20 years as team boss in which he steered the team towards eight drivers' championships and six constructors' titles.

Since his dismissal, Horner has been linked with a team ownership role at both Alpine and Haas too, although the Alpine rumours appear to have been and gone, with Otro Capital seemingly set to sell their 24 per cent stake in the team to Mercedes.

Horner held initial conversations with Haas, as confirmed by their current team principal Ayao Komatsu, but that appears to have also gone quiet.

Aston Martin are the other team on the grid without a full-time team principal, and this snub could come as a huge blow to Horner's chances of returning to the F1 grid.

F1 Christian Horner Aston Martin Adrian Newey Jonathan Wheatley