Red Bull: Horner “never” considered joining Ferrari

Once considered by Mercedes, Christian Horner ultimately did not prolong the suspense and has extended his contract with Red Bull. In an interview with Formula1.com, the official site of the premier discipline, the Briton reflected on this decision. “It’s a natural extension for me, something that made sense. I came into F1 with Red Bull – Dietrich Mateschitz gave me the opportunity, and at quite a young age – so it was merely a formality to extend our relationship.” Appointed to lead the Austrian outfit in 2005 at the age of 31, he has been, along with Adrian Newey, one of the architects of the success of the Red Bull brand, notably winning the last three drivers’ and constructors’ titles up for grabs.

« What we have achieved at Red Bull Racing is extremely special, and my involvement has always been 100% with the team, » he is keen to emphasize while rumors of him being sent to Ferrari were mentioned, following a meeting at the Scuderia’s headquarters. « The meeting at Ferrari had absolutely nothing to do with me personally; it was about the future of F1. » Horner added that the idea of joining the Scuderia has « never, ever in my life » crossed his mind. « Ah, these are the F1 media as we know them. But believe me, it was a meeting about the future of F1, and it took place in a very good atmosphere and [was] very productive. »

Moreover, how does he perceive the future of F1 after a 2012 season that was lively on the track, though a bit less so behind the scenes? « The interest in F1 is higher than ever. We had a fantastic 2012 championship. The teams have reached an agreement with the holders of commercial rights for a long period; now it is important to plan for the future. » The ratification of the Concorde agreements remains pending for the moment, even though Bernie Ecclestone stated at the end of January that the uncertainty mainly revolved around regulatory issues—the Concorde agreements primarily serve to impose a certain regulatory stability to avoid excessive costs for teams engaged in the sport—while financial agreements seem to have been reached with all the teams involved.

« We see exciting things happening in F1, with the arrival of new races in the coming years, so sometimes it’s good to sit down with a small group of people and discuss some important issues. » Leading the team that holds the last three world titles, there’s no doubt that Christian Horner’s opinion matters in such meetings.