Christian Horner confronts rumoured links to Ferrari and Alpine amid Red Bull exit speculation

Red Bull team chief Christian Horner has confronted the rumours linking him to a move to Ferrari or Alpine.

Rumours began to circulate earlier in the week that the British team principal was in conversation with Ferrari and Alpine. These followed separate reports that suggested Red Bull GmbH was considering letting Horner go amid the outfit’s performance struggles, although it is worth noting that these reports were not confirmed.

Alpine is currently on the hunt for a new team chief after Oliver Oakes’ abrupt exit earlier this season. Executive advisor Flavio Briatore has temporarily assumed the role in the interim.

There have also been rumours suggesting that Ferrari team chief Fred Vasseur was facing his own exit; however, these have been firmly quashed by the team and its drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Horner was firm in his stance, explaining that his commitment to the Milton Keynes outfit remains strong.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Horner confirmed to Sky Sports F1 in Montreal.

“I’m fully committed to Red Bull. We’ve got so much good stuff coming through the pipeline. We’re on the verge of launching our own engine for 2026, which has been a massive project and undertaking.

“Of course, it’s always flattering being associated with other teams, particularly teams like Ferrari, but no, I’m not going anywhere, not even to Alpine.

“Speculation is rife always in this paddock, but you know I’ve been here 21 years, and I don’t have any intention of being anywhere else.”

Red Bull is currently fourth in the constructors’ standings with 144 points, 218 points behind leaders McLaren. On a brighter note, Max Verstappen topped the timesheets in the first practice session in Montreal ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix.

“The track [in Canada] is very unique, has some old school kerbs and there are plenty of opportunities for overtaking,” Verstappen explained in the preview from the team.

“The car setup will be important and it is always more of a challenge with the big braking zones. Last year’s race was an exciting one, we were able to bring home the win and hopefully we can again bring a positive performance this week. The weather conditions are looking a bit better than last year so we will see what happens.”