Christian Horner expressed a desire to have Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc join Red Bull.
The 2025 seat at Red Bull could have been filled by either Fernando Alonso or Charles Leclerc, and Christian Horner has stated that he was equally interested in both.
In his forthcoming book Drive, Horner reveals how he found himself cornered while attempting to secure a new driver to partner Max Verstappen. Having led Red Bull for twenty years before his departure in July 2025, he mentions that the obstacle was Helmut Marko and that he doesn’t think Verstappen played a role in the difficulties he encountered.
Sergio Perez experienced a decline in form towards the conclusion of his time with the Milton Keynes team. Even though Perez helped the team achieve its first 1-2 finish in the drivers’ championship, his performance deteriorated rapidly in 2024.
"Sergio Perez's form was unrecognizable compared to the driver he had been in previous seasons," Horner noted. "I decided it was time to seek a potential replacement."
Alonso expressed interest, and the Verstappen camp reportedly declined
The first name that landed on his desk was Alonso, who was racing for Aston Martin at the time and still is. According to Horner's memoir, Alonso confirmed his desire to Horner during the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix.
"During the Japanese Grand Prix, Fernando expressed to me that he was eager to drive alongside Max for the upcoming season. Later, Helmut (Marko), seemingly on behalf of Verstappen's management, indicated that they were not in favor of that idea."
This is quite an unusual way for a team principal to miss out on a signing.
Leclerc, Lawson, and Sainz
Next, Horner considered Leclerc: "I thought he could be the ideal driver for us."
"He was quick, solid on a single lap, and possessed a determined personality. Certainly, he made the occasional error, which Red Bull had capitalized on, but regardless of the circumstances, he never criticized Ferrari. Charles was a team player, and I believed he could step in if Sergio fell further back. Additionally, he appeared to be frustrated at Ferrari."
The response was the same as before. Horner writes: "Shortly after, Helmut informed me that I should forget about Charles as well. Just like with Fernando, it wasn’t going to happen."
What he mentions next is a significant highlight of the book, as it exonerates Verstappen from this situation.
"I immediately realized that that directive did not originate from Max," Horner continues. "But someone had made the decision that it wasn’t the right move for Red Bull. I was disappointed." He doesn’t specify who that someone was.
With both prominent names off the table, the seat was filled internally with Liam Lawson. "However, I didn’t feel at ease with that choice. He was young and lacked experience, with only eleven Formula 1 races under his belt, and we were asking a tremendous amount from him." Lawson lasted just a few races before Red Bull returned him to its sister team, and Horner had no regrets: "In fact, he should never have been promoted in the first place."
Another name mentioned in the book is Carlos Sainz. He visited Horner's home shortly before his dismissal. "He came to talk about a prospective move to Red Bull in 2026."
"He was an experienced Grand Prix driver, a team player, and I knew he would put in maximum effort for the team."
It’s important to remember that this is one individual's perspective. Yet, by his own account, the person officially in charge of the team wasn’t the one making decisions about who would drive its cars. More developments are sure to follow.
More from this section
Max Verstappen versus Valentino Rossi: A Comparison of Their GT3 Vehicles
Max Verstappen’s Portimao teammates: who are Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat?
George Russell compelled to compete with worn Mercedes components following the Singapore GP accident.
Red Bull unveils eye-catching white F1 race suits for the US GP as supporters urge for a coordinating livery.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri triumphs on the gravel in F1 and MotoGP crossover event.
