Aston Martin makes another attempt to sign Christian Horner

According to the British outlet, Aston Martin owner Lance Stroll has been keen on Horner and was close to making a move for him until negotiations are said to have fallen through at the last moment.

Now as Aston Martin continues to struggle on track, the British team is said to have made another attempt to lure Horner.

Horner was dismissed as Red Bull team principal a year ago. According to reports, he received a severance package worth roughly £80 million. As a result, the Brit may not feel any rush to return to Formula 1 immediately. However, Horner previously stated that he still feels he has “unfinished business” in the sport.

A move to Aston Martin would also reunite him with Adrian Newey, who is team principal at the Silverstone outfit. In a recent interview, Newey indicated he has been dealing with health issues, causing him to miss a few races. A return via Aston Martin is not the only possibility. According to the Daily Mail, former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has been working behind the scenes to place Horner at Ferrari. So far, however, those talks are said not to have yielded any concrete results.

In addition, Horner is said to have explored a potential involvement with Alpine alongside investors. Investment firm Otro Capital is reportedly open to selling its 24 percent stake in the French team. In Monaco, Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore responded that he remains open to working with Horner. A completely new Formula 1 project is also reportedly on the table. Horner is said to have held exploratory talks with Chinese car manufacturer BYD about founding a twelfth Formula 1 team. That scenario, however, would mean an actual return could still be years away.

GPblog reached out to Aston Martin regarding the rumors of renewed interest in Horner. “In line with our policy, we do not comment on rumors or speculation,” a team spokesperson responded. For now, it remains to be seen whether Horner will actually return to Formula 1, but it is clear that his name is once again circulating prominently on the market — this time not for a driver, but for one of the most influential team principals of modern Formula 1.