Ex-Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has fueled speculation about his future: the Briton was a guest at the MotoGP last weekend
The motorsport future of ex-Red Bull team boss Christian Horner remains unclear, but the 52-year-old Briton has now fueled the ongoing speculation: Horner was a guest at the MotoGP in Jerez last weekend together with Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali.
During free practice on Saturday, the Briton was spotted in the Honda factory garage, where he had a lively conversation with HRC CEO Koji Watanabe. However, this is hardly surprising: Horner already had close ties with the Honda management team during his time in Formula 1.
The Japanese manufacturer helped Red Bull to a total of four drivers’ titles with Max Verstappen and two constructors’ titles for the team in the 2020s. However, Horner’s future has been unclear since he was sacked in July 2025. The Briton has never made a secret of wanting to return to Formula 1.
At the beginning of this year, joining Alpine was considered the most likely scenario. However, MotoGP could now also be a realistic option, especially after the takeover of Dorna Sports by Liberty Media last year.
Christian Horner sees “a lot of potential” in MotoGP
“I’ve always been a big MotoGP fan and as I have some time on my hands, I thought it would be a good opportunity to have a look at the championship,” Horner told the official MotoGP feed. “MotoGP, like Formula 1, has new owners now and it’s great to see how the bikes have evolved.”
“I was last at a MotoGP race in Estoril in 2005, so it’s been a while. I think it’s a very interesting time for MotoGP. It is also going through a period of change under new management. That’s why I wanted to come here and see for myself.”
“They are great races. It’s a fantastic show. The riders are incredible and the bikes are incredible,” praised the ex-Formula 1 team boss. “It’s only when you see it live that you realize how insane these machines are. I think as a sport it has so much potential.“
”Hopefully the people at Liberty Media, with their Formula 1 experience, can harness that potential. I know Stefano [Domenicali] is very passionate. I’m here with him today. So there will be some synergies there.”
Christian Horner about to enter MotoGP?
Horner would not be the first person to make the switch from Formula 1 to MotoGP. The most prominent example is Massimo Rivola, a former Formula 1 engineer who has also successfully gained a foothold in the motorcycle world championship.
In addition, the takeover by Liberty Media is expected to further accelerate this process – particularly in the area of team participations, as the American media company wants to tap into additional value creation potential in MotoGP.
Former Haas team boss Günther Steiner is already focusing on such a return: he leads a consortium that took over the KTM satellite team Tech3 in September. A path that Christian Horner could also potentially take in the near future.
In contrast to Formula 1, where each team has to develop its own chassis and other listed parts, which requires significant investment in infrastructure, independent MotoGP teams can purchase fully built bikes from the manufacturers and operate on a much smaller scale.
Teams and manufacturers are currently negotiating with Dorna about improved financial conditions as part of the next commercial contract, which is due to come into force in 2027. This could also decide Christian Horner’s future in motorsport.
