Christian Horner was compared to Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, as the former Red Bull executive remains amid rumors of a possible return to the Formula 1 paddock.
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The Briton was removed from the role of CEO and team principal in July 2025, after holding the position for two decades, since the Austrian team’s arrival in the top motorsport category.
Since then, he has been linked to numerous teams and possibilities of returning to Formula 1, but nothing concrete. Then, Craig Slater, a reporter for Sky Sports News, compared him to Guardiola, who is expected to leave the team after the end of the Premier League season.
“I have spoken informally with Horner in recent months and it became clear to me that, although he is ready to return, he is not interested in coming back to the pits just for the sake of returning,” he said.
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“It would have to be the right project. That means he would probably need a stake in a team with the potential to win again in F1. When will he return? There is enthusiasm for his return among stakeholders and leadership figures in F1, but the individual situations of the teams are complicated,” he continued.
“If Pep Guardiola were on the football coaching market, he would get another top-level job almost immediately. Horner is the equivalent in F1, given his track record, but there are fewer vacancies and interpersonal issues also need to be considered,” he added.
