Alpine still has no boss: Horner and Nielsen refuse to lead the French team

Uncertainty dominates Alpine's immediate future after two historic Formula 1 figures declined to assume the team's leadership. According to Nextgen-Auto, both Christian Horner and Steve Nielsen turned down the invitation from Flavio Briatore, who is currently leading the interim management following the departure of Oliver Oakes.

Oakes's sudden resignation brought the media spotlight back to the Enstone team. Although it was officially attributed to personal reasons, the power vacuum reignited speculation about who could take charge of a team in urgent need of results.

In this context, veteran Flavio Briatore, acting executive advisor, became Alpine's interim boss. Nevertheless, the Italian made it clear from the outset that his role would be temporary and that he doesn't intend to take on a long-term commitment.

In the search for a replacement for the British businessman, Christian Horner emerged as one of the strongest options to lead Alpine. The personal closeness with Briatore, fueled by frequent meetings in the paddock and at events such as Monaco or Barcelona, further fueled reports of formal contacts.

However, Horner publicly dismissed any possibility of leaving Red Bull. "It's always flattering to be linked with other teams, but I'm fully committed to Red Bull. It's always been that way and it certainly will be for the long term," he stated. 

Briatore's second strong candidate was Steve Nielsen, an experienced executive with whom he shared years of success at Renault F1 during the 2000s. Nielsen, 60 years old, has an extensive career in the sport, including his recent role as sporting director of the FIA, a position he left in 2024 to found a consultancy that collaborates with F1 and industry firms.

Both were seen talking in the paddock during the Spanish Grand Prix, where Briatore confirmed that he is "looking for" a new team principal. However, the Italian's efforts to convince Nielsen were also unsuccessful. Sources close to Alpine confirmed that the Briton formally rejected the offer, choosing to continue his advisory work and family life in the south of France.

There was even consideration that Nielsen could take on the role remotely, attending only race weekends, but the executive rejected this option, considering that the position requires a constant presence both at the factory and at the circuits.

Following the rejections from Horner and Nielsen, Nextgen-Auto reports that Briatore's immediate plan is to provisionally consolidate Julian Rouse, Alpine's current sporting director, as interim head. The idea is to give him room to demonstrate his ability before resuming the search for a more experienced profile.