Horner reveals who blocked Alonso and Leclerc moves to Red Bull

In his autobiography Drive, Horner reflected on the search for a suitable teammate for Verstappen as concerns grew over Perez's performances back in 2023. The Mexican's difficulties prompted the Briton to consider alternatives, including two of the most established drivers on the Formula 1 grid.

Alonso was among the names under consideration, and Horner claims the Spaniard was interested in making the switch himself. The former Red Bull boss recalls a conversation during the Japanese Grand Prix in which Alonso expressed his desire to race alongside Verstappen the following season. However, the possibility was soon dismissed following an intervention from Helmut Marko.

According to Horner's account, Marko communicated the objections on behalf of Verstappen's management, effectively bringing the possibility of an Alonso-Verstappen partnership to an end.

Alonso was not the only driver Horner considered. The Briton also identified Leclerc as a possible addition to Red Bull, believing the Ferrari star possessed the qualities needed to strengthen the team's driver line-up: "I thought he could be the perfect driver for us."

Horner's interest in Leclerc extended beyond his performances on track. He also valued the Monegasque's attitude towards Ferrari, particularly his willingness to support the team despite the difficulties he encountered.

Nevertheless, the prospect of bringing Leclerc to Red Bull was dismissed in much the same way as the earlier discussions surrounding Alonso: "Shortly afterwards, Helmut told me that I should just forget about Charles as well. Just like with Fernando, it wasn't going to happen."

Horner was disappointed by the response, but he made an important distinction regarding the source of the opposition. While Marko reportedly referred to Verstappen's management when discussing Alonso, Horner does not believe the instruction to abandon the pursuit of Leclerc came directly from the four-time world champion.