Citing his success with Red Bull, FIA president, Mohammed ben Sulayem is convinced that Christian Horner will soon be back in the F1 paddock.

Horner was in the paddock last weekend, almost a year to the day since being fired by the Austrian team, which has suffered, and continues to suffer, numerous other 'departures' ever since.

Ostensibly there to promote his memoir, the canny Briton will have been eyeing potential routes by which he might return, whilst also taking every opportunity to wind-up his detractors.

Linked with Ferrari, the team Bernie Ecclestone believes would have best suited him, Horner has also been linked with Alpine, Aston Martin and potential entrant BYD, the Chinese electric vehicle giant.

Asked if he would like to see Horner back in the paddock on a permanent basis, Ben Sulayem admitted: "Yes!

"He will get back," he added. "Where is not for me to say, even if I know, it is for him to say.

"Look at his background," he continued, "everyone makes mistakes. But did he deliver? What do you want? Do you want to win or not?"

Of course, other than wondering why it is any of the FIA president's business, one has to ask, if, by "mistakes", he is referring to the harassment allegations that, though dismissed following an internal team investigation, should Ben Sulayem be making such a remark.

Talking to The Times, Horner was keen to make clear that any return to the F1 paddock isn't simply about being there.

"Every week there's somebody speculating that I'm going somewhere," he said. "It's flattering that people still talk about you. It's inevitable that conversations happen, but until very recently, I've not been able to do anything.

"I'm now technically a free agent," he continued, "which was always important to me when I left Red Bull, not to be locked down for too long a period."

In terms of here he would like to find himself, he said: "I have no interest in just being a number in a machine. I've more than demonstrated what I'm capable of doing, and if I go back, it would only be in a position where you were empowered to make a change, to drive difference, to win.

"I know that I would become very frustrated very quickly doing anything else. If you can't do it to win, why bother?"

So, Aston Martin it is then.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 13/07/2026 15:24

"I expect to be in a minority but I look forward to seeing Horner back in the game. Despite all the accusations he has been cleared by two, apparently prominent, legal entities and I'm a believer that until judged guilty by those empowered to make that accusation he is an F1 management force to be reckoned with. His record stands the test which is all that really matters. I'm sure he has had offers galore but he's right in seeking more that a principals plaque on the office door and rightfully so. Time flies and he needs to get it done and go racing again. "

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2. Posted by JamesD, 13/07/2026 13:15

"Apologies, I don't know why my posted something about Auto Racing ..."

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3. Posted by JamesD, 13/07/2026 13:14

"I see Horner was on the grid at Silverstone - that's the closest he should be to F1. And take Ben with you please Christian !"

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4. Posted by Wokingchap, 13/07/2026 11:13

"B. Sillyem could include Horner in his F1 death squad then."

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Ben Sulayem certain of Horner's return to F1

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