FIA boss divided on multi-team ownership, expects Christian Horner to return to F1

Formula One's governing body is looking into whether multi-team ownership should be allowed after Mercedes were linked to a minority stake in Renault-owned Alpine.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), said at the Miami Grand Prix that he was personally against it but could see arguments for.

Red Bull currently own two of the sport's 11 teams - Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls - and although they operate independently, all drivers are centrally contracted and the movement of senior personnel between the two is seamless rather than subject to long periods of "gardening leave."

Rivals, and particularly McLaren's Zak Brown, have highlighted the disadvantage they face when recruiting top staff and also the risk of collusion between teams with a common ownership.

Ben Sulayem said multi-team ownership could be acceptable if done for the "right reasons."

"As long as you are not trying to take it (the stake) because you don't want others to take it, or also get voting power when it comes to the regulations, then maybe it's OK," he added.

"But then I do believe that owning two is not the right way, this is my personal point of view, but we are looking into that because it's a complicated area."

HORNER WILL BE BACK SOONER OR LATER

Red Bull bought Minardi at the end of 2005 when the team were on the brink of folding, saving jobs and keeping cars on what would otherwise have been a depleted starting grid.

The second team has been used as a feeder for former champions Red Bull, bringing on multiple champions Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel as well as a string of race winners over the years.

Former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, fired last July, has been linked to a 24% stake in Alpine held by a group of investors led by Otro Capital, who want to sell.

Alpine's de facto boss Flavio Briatore confirmed in March that Mercedes were also interested in the stake. Such a move would sideline Horner, an old foe of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

Ben Sulayem said he expected to see Horner return one way or another.

"Who can remove Christian Horner's name from motorsport and Formula One?," he asked. "You can't. It was always successful. But success also has enemies, as we know.

"If you ask me, we miss him in this sport and I do. I keep in touch with him and he was good for the team, good for the sport.

"He wants to come back. I talk to him regularly and I feel he will be back. When he comes back, it's like he went for a vacation ... he's been a character in the sport."

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)