Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle has opened up about the chances of former Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner securing a new role in MotoGP, especially after its takeover by the owner of Formula One, Liberty Media.
The premier class of motorcycle racing could follow a similar growth trajectory that F1 witnessed after Liberty took over the sport in 2017, especially in the American market. With the two forms of motorsports now under the same umbrella, MotoGP could be viewed as an option by Horner, especially considering the limited opportunities available in F1 next year.
Recently, former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner announced his new role as the CEO of the Tech3 MotoGP team from 2026, as he led a takeover of the outfit by a group of investors. Brundle revealed that Horner was seeking something different from his previous role at Red Bull as a manager, preferably a team ownership role.
But that would only be possible if an existing team is open to a partnership or through a potential 12th F1 team. However, Brundle thinks the other teams will be quick to prevent another team from entering the sport, especially with the onset of a new era of regulations in 2026. Speaking to Sky Sports News, as quoted by RacingNews365, he said:
“I think the current teams in F1 will be pushing hard, as will other stakeholders, to say they don’t want a 12th team at the moment while they’re all jockeying around trying to sort out the 2026 regulations.
“It might be an extra hurdle for Christian. But F1 is his life. It’s where his skills and experiences lie.”
He added:
“He made it absolutely clear to me when I spoke to him that he will only come back if he’s got a skin in the game, if he’s got a share of the team and is building something, rather than being a manager as he was with Red Bull.
“He couldn’t get any shareholding in that. Toto Wolff is a good example of how to do that as a one-third shareholder in Mercedes.
“I’m not surprised Christian is knocking on doors, seeing what is available out there. There are not many available doors to knock on, in that respect.”
Brundle then revealed the MotoGP angle, highlighting that Horner could be considering a potential switch. He said:
“I’m sure he’ll be thinking about MotoGP as well.
“I’m sure there will be partners, sponsors and other people who might want to join Christian on that journey.”
