Giancarlo Fisichella believes that a partnership between Flavio Briatore and Christian Horner at Alpine could be a ‘good compromise’. The former Red Bull team principal has been absent from the paddock since he was dismissed after the British Grand Prix in July. Horner spent 20 years with the Red Bull Formula One team, contributing to six Constructors’ and eight Drivers’ Championship titles. Now, though, one of the sport’s most successful team principals is unattached.
Alpine has been touted as a potential destination for the 51-year-old, given his close relationship with the team’s current chief. According to Fisichella, who worked with Briatore and with the former Renault squad, believes that Team Enstone would be an attractive option for Horner.
“I think Horner can come back to F1,” Fisichella told AceOdds.com. “He was a driver first of all, and then he was Red Bull’s team principal for 20 years, and he won everything. For sure, one of the best team principals in the sport. Maybe a mix of Horner and Briatore could be a good compromise.”
With just seven races remaining in the 2025 season, Alpine are in a precarious position at the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship standings. Team Enstone are 24 points behind their nearest rivals, Haas, and haven’t scored in their last four Grand Prix weekends.
Worse still, only one car is contributing to that battle. Pierre Gasly has registered all 20 of Alpine’s total points in 2025, with Franco Colapinto struggling to improve on the form demonstrated by Jack Doohan before the Australian was axed just six races into the season.
While Horner’s expertise would undoubtedly be valuable at Alpine, Briatore has no immediate plans to bring him on board. “Christian is not in Formula One in this moment anymore,” he said at the Dutch Grand Prix. “I hope he comes back soon but, for the moment, he’s not in the picture of Alpine.”
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Despite their previous success together, Red Bull’s fortunes have improved since parting ways with Horner. In their first race weekend with new boss Laurent Mekies, Max Verstappen notched a sprint race win for the team, and they have since won back-to-back Grands Prix in Monza and Baku.
According to former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, Red Bull are better off under Mekies’ leadership than Horner’s. “And the reason is, it seems the team is calmer,” he explained on the Red Flags podcast.
“Before, it was every week and there was a news story; they didn’t get on, this guy didn’t get one with this one. At the moment, they seem to be working in harmony, and therefore, I think they are better off.”
