'Wolff-like position' to tempt Horner into F1 return?

Horner was replaced by Laurent Mekies, who got promoted from Racing Bulls.

Currently, two teams are rumoured as a next destination for the Briton. GPblog could previously report that Horner was already flirting with Alpine when he was still employed by his previous team.

While the Briton joining the French side seems conceivable, there is one hurdle that could make that move difficult, given that Toto Wolff's Mercedes will provide the team with power units.

Toto Wolff is currently the only team principal that is also a shareholder within his team. Moreover, with Horner's departure, he is also the longest-standing team principal in the competition.

"He looks at Toto Wolff and sees a man that has risen in the same period that Christian has to own a third of a Formula 1 team, and Christian, I’m sure, will have a half an envious eye on that and think, ‘That’s exactly where I should be because I am of that stature,'" Croft said on his employer's channel.

He continued: "There might be other suitors for Alpine as well, so it’s not a done deal that Christian will be able to buy into Alpine."

Moreover, he also pointed out that he doesn't believe Horner has the same financial resources. "Where does his backing come from? Because I don’t think, albeit a very wealthy man, he’s got the means that Toto Wolff has."

While Croft believes an immediate move to Ferrari would be too soon and expects Horner to take some time off, he is confident to say the former Red Bull team principal will be back in the competition at one point.

“He doesn’t have to rush into anything, but I would imagine at some stage in the not too distant future, we’ll be stood outside one team base somewhere saying, ‘Christian Horner has come back into F1,'” he concluded.