Horner Emerges as Top Candidate at Aston Martin: Verstappen Also on the List

According to ESPN, Aston Martin has placed Christian Horner at the top of its shortlist for a major leadership role within the team. The report claims team owner Lawrence Stroll is preparing a structural overhaul ahead of the 2026 regulations and sees the current Red Bull team principal as the ideal figure to lead the project. In an even more striking detail, Max Verstappen is also said to be part of Stroll’s long-term dream scenario.

Aston Martin has invested heavily in recent years, building a new factory, expanding its workforce and securing Fernando Alonso on a multi-year deal. But results in 2024 have been inconsistent, prompting Stroll to consider bringing in high-profile names to strengthen the organisation at the highest level.

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The interest in Horner, who has led Red Bull to multiple championships, is seen as an ambitious but extremely difficult pursuit.

“Horner Is the Number One Target”

ESPN reports that Stroll sees Horner as the perfect leader to elevate Aston Martin into a consistent front-running team. “Horner is the number one target,” according to the American outlet. His long-term experience, political strength and proven ability to build winning structures are said to make him the ideal candidate.

However, the chances of securing him remain small. Horner is under contract at Red Bull and is deeply embedded in the organisation’s leadership. Multiple sources told ESPN that convincing him to leave Milton Keynes would be “almost impossible”.

Verstappen Also on the Wishlist

The report also claims that Stroll has one ultimate dream: signing Max Verstappen. Though the Dutchman has a contract with Red Bull through 2028, uncertainty within the team earlier

this year reportedly encouraged Stroll to explore whether Verstappen could become available.

ESPN emphasises that Aston Martin is aware the plan is extremely optimistic. But Stroll is said to be thinking on a long timescale, positioning the team for the 2026 rule changes and beyond.

Structural Overhaul at Aston Martin

Behind the scenes, Aston Martin is preparing to reshape its technical organisation. Former Ferrari and McLaren strategists have already joined, and the team recently hired several senior engineers from rival outfits.

Bringing in Horner — or another figure of similar influence — is seen as the next step in Stroll’s pursuit of a world championship-calibre structure.

According to ESPN, the team owner is determined to push Aston Martin into Formula 1’s elite bracket. “Stroll wants the best people in every department,” the report says. “He is willing to wait years if that is what it takes.”

A Long Shot, but Not Impossible

For now, both Horner and Verstappen remain committed to Red Bull. But Aston Martin’s interest highlights how aggressively the team is planning for the future. The combination of a new factory, significant investment and an ambitious owner makes the project increasingly attractive to top-level talent.

Whether these bold ambitions can be realised is another question. But in Stroll’s vision for Aston Martin, no name is too big.