Christian Horner has held talks with several Formula 1 teams over a potential return to the paddock following the confirmation of his Red Bull exit last week, and former F1 driver Riccardo Patrese thinks he could persuade Max Verstappen to join him at a certain constructor. The French manufacturer’s engine collaboration with Red Bull ended bitterly after Horner publicly blasted the performance of Renault’s power units. All signs are pointing towards Horner laying roots at the 568-point F1 team Aston Martin, who currently tick all the boxes for the sort of project the British executive is interested in. More F1 StoriesSpeaking to The Escapist, the former F1 driver said, “The Aston Martin speculation with Christian Horner reminds me of when Michael Schumacher left Benetton and went to Ferrari. READ MORE: Max Verstappen’s former Red Bull teammate ‘wouldn’t mind’ teaming up again for future GT3 racesRed Bull have returned to winning ways for the first time since Christian Horner’s departureRed Bull have experienced an extremely volatile year in 2025.