Formula 1 News: Horner exploring team share purchase

(GMM) Christian Horner is actively exploring the possibility of buying into a Formula 1 team, according to former F1 driver Christijan Albers (pictured), who says he recently discussed the idea directly with the former Red Bull boss.

Speaking to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Albers revealed that Horner raised the subject during a recent meeting in Paris, where Horner was visiting the FIA.

“He told me he has enough investors behind him to see if there’s a possibility,” Albers said. “But only a few teams want to sell. The value of the shares has risen enormously, so many teams are holding on to them. The conclusion is that values could rise even further.”

Albers suggested that even teams at the back of the grid are now commanding significantly higher valuations, pointing to Alpine as an example.

“Even at Alpine, last year’s worst-performing team, the value of the shares has increased significantly in recent years,” he noted.

While speculation has linked Horner most strongly with Alpine, Albers stopped short of confirming which team may be involved, stressing that much of their conversation was private.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I can’t say everything,” he cautioned. “Everything we say here gets translated and goes to England, and then it looks like I’m trying to take someone down, which I’m not. I had a very pleasant conversation with him.”

Albers confirmed the two spent around an hour talking, including discussions about Horner’s departure from Red Bull and the broader state of the sport.

“He came to me,” Albers said. “We talked about his exit, what he thought of it and what I thought. He doesn’t know if the team is in a better place now. I also said that at some point a situation arises that is no longer sustainable – and he agreed with that himself.”