Christian Horner open to MotoGP move, but only if it means running the sport
According to Italian journalist Roberto Chinchero, Christian Horner wouldn’t be drawn into a role in MotoGP unless it put him in charge of the entire sport.
Horner’s unannounced visit to the paddock during the Spanish Grand Prix only added fuel to speculation. There are growing expectations that Liberty Media will look to bring F1 experience into the new MotoGP era.
Guenther Steiner, who used to run Haas F1, is now owner of Tech3. Aprilia boss Massimo Rivola and Trackhouse’s Davide Brivio both previously held senior roles in Formula One as well.
Christian Horner may be aiming for Carmelo Ezpeleta’s job
During a Motorsport Italia Q&A, Chinchero was asked if Horner could be taking over at Gresini, after he was spotted in their garage. Horner has been without a role since Red Bull parted ways with him last July, ending his two-decade run in charge.
Nadia Padovani, wife of late founder Fausto Gresini, is the current owner and team principal, while Michele Masini is the team manager. Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has previously held talks over investing in Gresini.
Chinchero thinks Horner’s ambitions go beyond running a single team. With Liberty Media potentially looking to install their own leadership in MotoGP, Horner may be positioning himself for the top job.
Chinchero believes that it would only be on those terms that Horner would even consider such a move:
Liberty recently rebranded Dorna as MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group but they have kept Ezpeleta in his CEO post, which he has held since the mid-90s, for the moment.
What we know about Christian Horner’s ambitions after failed F1 comeback talks
Horner became an extremely powerful figure in F1 given the length of his tenure and his track record, but he was still an employee of the Red Bull ownership. It was never fully clear whether he ranked above motorsport advisor Helmut Marko in the hierarchy either.
The 52-year-old former Red Bull boss isn’t short on backing from investors and even toyed with building his own F1 outfit from scratch before reports of this potential shift to two wheels emerged. The 52-year-old hasn’t had any shortage of investor interest either and once explored launching his own Formula One outfit before news broke that he may switch to motorsport altogether.
A move to CEO would certainly give him more influence than any team role ever could. However, stepping into a broader sport-wide position might lack some of the competitive edge that comes with being on pit wall week-to-week.
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