Horner In Running To Replace Cowell At Aston Martin

Aston Martin main executive serviceman Andy Cowell is connected nan verge of losing his occupation aft conscionable complete a twelvemonth successful nan role.

Multiple elder sources successful Formula 1 person told BBC Sport that Aston Martin squad proprietor Lawrence Stroll is poised to enactment aft disagreements betwixt Cowell and nan team's caller managing method partner Adrian Newey.

No last determination has been taken, but it seems Cowell is group to suffer his domiciled moving Aston Martin arsenic CEO and squad principal, though he whitethorn clasp a position wrong nan wider organisation.

An Aston Martin Aramco spokesperson said: "The squad will not beryllium engaging successful rumour aliases speculation. The attraction is connected maximising capacity successful nan remaining races and preparing for 2026."

No replacement has been confirmed, but erstwhile Red Bull squad main Christian Horner is among nan imaginable candidates.

Horner, sacked by Red Bull successful July, is pushing difficult for a activity domiciled astatine Aston Martin, on pinch a shareholding successful nan team.

Stroll is besides said to person approached erstwhile McLaren squad main Andreas Seidl, existent caput of nan Audi F1 task Mattia Binotto and Aston Martin's erstwhile CEO Martin Whitmarsh.

Whitmarsh, who was replaced by Cowell past year, was offered his aged occupation backmost but is said to person refused.

Whitmarsh told BBC Sport: "I decided to time off Aston Martin successful 2023 and, whilst Lawrence has been very generous, I nary longer wanted a domiciled successful nan team."

The rupture has been caused by a disagreement betwixt Cowell and Newey complete who is successful charge.

Newey, an F1 creation fable and victor of 12 constructors' and 13 drivers' world titles pinch Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, is starring activity connected nan team's 2026 car.

Cowell arsenic CEO is expected to oversee nan squad but Newey's status, some successful position of his record, and arsenic a shareholder and nan team's biggest earner by far, is inevitably successful a much powerful position.

Newey left Red Bull specifically because he had fallen retired pinch Horner arsenic a consequence of nan allegations of intersexual harassment and coercive, controlling behaviour made against Horner by a female employee.

Horner was cleared of nan charges by 2 abstracted soul investigations, but nan allegations led to awesome soul ruptures wrong Red Bull, who besides suffered a diminution successful performance.

With nary motion of an betterment successful nan soul tensions aliases performance, Red Bull removed Horner aft nan British Grand Prix.

In September, nan 2 parties reached a settlement that saw Horner person a pay-off worthy 60m euros (£53m).

At nan clip of his departure, Newey told colleagues he did not want to beryllium successful nan aforesaid room arsenic Horner, a Red Bull root told BBC Sport.

But location is said to person been a rapprochement betwixt nan 2 and successful nan summertime they attended an Oasis performance together.

However, it is acold from definite that Horner will unafraid a domiciled astatine Aston Martin.

It whitethorn beryllium that Stroll decides he does not request a full-time fig of specified precocious profile, fixed he is de facto squad main arsenic nan wide authority and owner.

Cowell would beryllium nan 4th elder leader to time off his domiciled astatine Aston Martin.

Otmar Szafnauer was sacked successful early 2022 and replaced by Mike Krack, who was demoted to main technologist aft Cowell took connected his role.

The squad are besides going done a major method restructure pinch 7 elder creation engineers leaving their roles earlier this month.

The squad are hoping for a leap guardant successful competitiveness adjacent year, erstwhile caller rules could shingle up nan grid and they go Honda's motor partner.