Horner breaks silence on F1 future after surprise Silverstone return

The 52-year-old saw his long stint in the sport come to an abrupt end when he was dismissed from his role amid underwhelming results and several off-track skirmishes that plagued the Red Bull Racing outfit. However, since his departure, Horner’s name has been linked with multiple teams, with reports suggesting interest from Aston Martin and even a potential ownership role within the Alpine F1 team.

Amid the ongoing speculation over what his future may hold, the former Red Bull boss has now broken his silence on life after Milton Keynes and a potential return to the F1 paddock. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 upon his arrival at the Silverstone circuit, Horner noted: "It's great to be back here at Silverstone. "Ultimately I'm a fan and the British Grand Prix is in town. I've not missed one since '93, so it's good to be here."

When pressed about his future, the British motorsport chief continued: “I've enjoyed my time out. I did 20 years straight with Red Bull guys. I was obviously doing other stuff before that, so it's the first time I've ever had a bit of time to get off the hamster wheel. But for me, I'd only look at doing the right thing, something that really had an opportunity to win at the end of the day."

When asked about links to the Aston Martin outfit, the former Red Bull boss kept a measured tone, while also wishing the team success.

"It's a great British brand. It's sad to see them really struggling as they are. But there's so much speculation. One week it's Aston, the next is Alpine, the next is somewhere else. I wish them all well today,” he noted.

Regarding a potential link-up with the Alpine F1 outfit, the 52-year-old highlighted Formula 1’s strong current standing and the quality of racing, while stressing he is in no rush to make any decisions.

Pressed also about links to a possible new entrant into the sport with China’s BYD, Horner admitted there is significant interest in Formula 1 and described BYD as a major global player, while joking that he has been linked with almost every team on the grid.