Ecclestone, for his part, has always maintained that he would find it
impossible to work with anyone else but it appears the man who has run the
sport almost single-handedly for four decades has had a change of heart.
“Christian would be ideal,” Ecclestone said. “I would be happy to hold his
hand. We could have a transitional period. It needs someone who knows the
sport. If someone comes in from outside, a corporate type, I don’t think I
could work with them. It wouldn’t last five minutes.
“People deal with me because they know me. They know I’m straight with them.
That’s how it is with Christian. I hope we can do it.”
Horner was the youngest team principal in Formula One when he took over at Red
Bull in 2005, aged just 31. Under his stewardship the Milton
Keynes-based team have enjoyed a spectacular rise, winning both
constructors’ and drivers’ titles in each of the last four seasons.
Horner has cultivated a close personal friendship with Ecclestone during that
time. He was one of very few guests at Ecclestone’s marriage in Switzerland
last year to the Brazilian Fabiana Flosi, with whom his partner Beverley is
also close, and frequently meets up with them socially. Horner enjoyed
dinner with the Ecclestones in Austin a week ago, on the eve of his 40th
birthday.
He has generally laughed off speculation linking him with Ecclestone’s job
whenever the subject has arisen. “Looking at the health Bernie is in, he is
going to outlive all of us,” Horner said this month. “I have no interest in
the role he performs. My focus is in running a team.
“To replace Bernie would be impossible – certainly with one person – so I am
very happy with what I do here. ”
Meanwhile, quadruple world champion Sebastian
Vettel said on Thursday that he had no intention of gifting Red Bull
team-mate Mark Webber a win in his final Formula One race on Sunday. “Mark
is a sportsman and he doesn’t want a win handed over to him,” said the
German, who will match Alberto Ascari’s record of nine consecutive wins if
he triumphs in the season finale.