Christian Horner is being considered as a potential replacement for Andy Cowell as the Aston Martin team principal following rumors of Cowell’s impending dismissal post the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The 56-year-old, who previously led Red Bull, has been eyeing a return to Formula 1 since leaving in July.
After a challenging Las Vegas GP, reports from RacingNews365 suggested that Cowell’s position at Aston Martin was on shaky ground due to the team’s current struggles in the Constructor’s Championship, placed seventh, just eight points ahead of Sauber. The frontrunner to take over was identified as former McLaren and Sauber executive, Andreas Seidl.
However, BBC Sport also indicated that Horner is in contention to succeed Cowell. Horner, a renowned figure in Formula 1, has been linked with various teams post his departure, including Ferrari, Haas, and Alpine, making this potential opportunity significant for him.
Notably, speculations about Horner joining Aston Martin emerged prior to the Singapore Grand Prix but were promptly dismissed by Cowell, who clarified that there were no plans involving Horner in any operational or investment capacity in the future.
If Horner does return to the grid with Aston Martin, it would lead to a reunion with his rival Zak Brown, who criticized him before the Las Vegas triple-header began, highlighting changes in Horner’s demeanor over the years.
In a contrasting development, Red Bull had a reason to celebrate in Las Vegas as Max Verstappen secured victory in the race, keeping his hopes alive in the Drivers’ Championship. Verstappen overtook Lando Norris to claim the win, with McLaren cars later disqualified post-race, affecting the standings as the season progresses.