Why I Love Christian Horner and You Should Too
Saudi Arabia was a straightforward Grand Prix with controversial moments thrown in. A good race, a fun track, and some stellar performances from the Williams team, and Charles Leclerc, to name a few. The most contentious moment came right into turn one, as Max Verstappen cut the corner and passed Oscar Piastri off the track, retaining possession of first place. Moral opinions abound in such cases. To me, this was a cut-and-dry demonstration of what makes F1 great: Christian Horner.
Now wait, wait! I see you clicking away but hear me out. The Formula One fanbase has exploded over the past two years. At the beginning of the 2025 season, the American F1 market increased by over 10 percent from 2023, equating to about 90 million new fans. The Netflix series, Drive to Survive, acts as an additional driver of new viewers. It's difficult for new viewers to walk into Formula One if they have no connection to motorsports or aren't long-time auto enthusiasts. There are no people to connect to, just cars; no faces to recognize, just helmeted orbs peeking out of vehicles.
The show does what all good marketing does, it provides character, narrative,and context. No longer is Formula One simply one branded spaceship passing another, but the story of a downtrodden World Champion battling his rival to regain the title. It also could be about a rookie fighting to keep his hat in the ring before getting the ax from the team boss. This surge in viewership needs a human element.
So, after Jeddah’s checkered flag was crossed, after Piastri’s on the podium, and Max’s pit lane fury, someone was there, making the media rounds with a visual map in hand illustrating the geometric trajectory of Verstappen’s RB21. "I thought it was very harsh," said Mr. Horner, speaking of the five-second penalty issued by the FIA. "We didn't concede the position because we didn't believe that he'd done anything wrong”. "When you look at that,” he points to his visual aid, “I can't see how they got to that conclusion”.
Here we have the Formula One big bad, the drama-loving team boss, and a few other names besides. Isn't it great! Doesn't the most competitive sport in the world deserve to have the most extreme characters? Maybe not everyone can relate to the technical strategy that happens in the pit lane, but they can understand a boss who favors one employee at the expense of others. How about the stalwart fans? What’s better than having someone to root for? Someone to root against. Christian Horner is the perfect villain who keeps fans interested in the story of Formula One.
I love watching Formula One racing as much as anyone. Heck, it's my job! There is no reason why everyone needs to like it, or that Formula One should have any obligation to make itself appealing to a wider fanbase. Yet, there’s something right about it. We gather around for an hour and change every other week to watch very rich boys race their very expensive cars around exotic and very fast circuits. We curse the FIA when it makes stupid calls, and we cheer when the rookies make a good pass. These drivers are living their dreams, making tens of millions of dollars a year, and if Christian Horner wants to blow some smoke to make the lights look more dramatic, then pass me the popcorn.
So, yes. Thank you, Christian Horner, for being the big bully we all love you to be. It's most times annoying, other times infuriating, and always a blast. I bet you wouldn't have it any other way. I mean, when you think about it, we all should be grateful to him…too far?
