Horner Courted by £1.5bn Backers for Ownership-Led F1 Return

Overview

• The Times reports investors have approached Christian Horner with funding of about £1.5bn to pursue anything up to full ownership of a team.
• Horner is seeking equity and control rather than a traditional team principal role, with suggestions of a move to Italy played down.
• Acquiring one of the top four teams — McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull — is viewed as unrealistic at that budget, narrowing immediate targets.
• A brand-new 12th team is being discussed as an alternative route, with reporting indicating the project could take roughly three years to reach the grid.
• FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali are described as not opposing a return, and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says he expects Horner to reappear.