Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed startling behind-the-scenes details in his upcoming book Drive, disclosing his failed attempts to secure either Fernando Alonso or Charles Leclerc as a replacement for Sergio Perez ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The dramatic decline in Sergio Perez's form compared to previous campaigns forced Christian Horner to actively hunt for a viable successor. His initial target was Fernando Alonso, who during the Japanese Grand Prix explicitly expressed his desire to race alongside Max Verstappen the following year. However, those ambitions were quickly thwarted when Helmut Marko made it clear that management was firmly against the partnership.
Refusing to back down, Christian Horner shifted his focus toward Maranello to target Charles Leclerc. He believed the Monegasque driver possessed exceptional one-lap pace, immense determination, and admirable loyalty as a team player, qualities that made him an ideal candidate should Sergio Perez fall further down the pecking order.
Yet, that approach was similarly shut down by internal forces. Helmut Marko informed Christian Horner to forget about pursuing Charles Leclerc as well, noting it simply was not going to happen. While the former team boss suspected the veto did not originate directly from Max Verstappen, he remained deeply disappointed that key acquisition strategies were blocked from above.
Left with limited elite options, Red Bull ultimately promoted Liam Lawson, a move that proved disastrous and resulted in the young Kiwi being demoted just two races into 2025. Following stints involving Yuki Tsunoda and eventual 2026 promotion Isack Hadjar, it was also revealed that Carlos Sainz had secretly visited Christian Horner's home to discuss a potential 2026 seat prior to the Briton's departure.
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