Horner & Newey reunited in Aston 'dream team'? Up/Down in Vegas

It’s confirmed then. Oasis really are a unifying force for good – at least in the F1 world – transcending sporting boundaries and grand prix paddock spats.

The world championship’s greatest designer Adrian Newey and Netflix’s finest pot-stirrer Christian Horner apparently came to a rapprochement this summer which culminated with them attending a Gallagher brothers concert together in London.

Now a strong rumour is that Aston Martin F1 team CEO Andy Cowell is about to get the famous Lawrence Stroll Tommy Hilfiger-branded boot, or at the very least will be moved into a classic ‘special projects’ role, and that Horner could come in to replace him as team boss and major investor.

What a turn-up for books. Newey reportedly couldn’t stand to be in the same room as Horner for a period, and now one of the most potent team-boss designer combinations in modern F1 could be reunited.

Throw in to the mix the fact that Max Verstappen has long been rumoured to be joining Aston once he’s established just how rubbish next year’s Red Bull is, and we could be all set for a dream green team over at Silverstone in 2027.

Also, there was a race this weekend.

Going Up – That really could be great banter

As the drab technocrats have taken over (Stella, Komatsu, Vowles etc) there’s been a severe lack of wit, or even anyone saying anything vaguely interesting in the F1 paddock in recent seasons.

C’mon Lawrence, bring back Horner for all our sakes.

Going Down – Year of two halves

Looking back through the dusty halls of F1 history, it would be hard to find such a disastrous drop-off as Alex Albon’s this year.

Scintillating in the first part of the year, the second half couldn’t be more different. Apart from a few sprint points in Austin, he hasn’t scored in seven grands prix. Ouch.

Going Up – Comeback kings

Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz and Kimi Antonelli, who for most of 2025’s first half couldn’t buy a decent result, have now really clicked.

Fifth and third in Vegas were another example. Merc is now looking very good for second in the constructors’ reckoning, and the same goes for Williams in fifth.

Going Down – Super Smash Bro

Not content with his Sao Paulo shunt, Bortoleto attempted to skittle several opponents at the first Vegas turn too.

Hardly the season run-in the Brazilian could have been hoping for.

Going Up – Consolidated wealth

Great time to be a rich guy. As the world-wide wealth gap ever widens, there’s no such problems for some in F1.

The Honda F1 team was sold to Ross Brawn for £1 in 2009, becoming Brawn GP. Toto Wolff then bought a share in the same concern in 2013, a small portion of which he has just sold off for £230m, meaning that Quid GP is now worth £4.6bn. That’s what you call a sound investment.

Going Down – Eggs in one basket

Pierre Gasly was one of the victims of Bortoleto’s Turn 1 torpedo. The Alpine team long ago gave up on 2025, with all its efforts going into next year’s car.

Gasly summed up the current misery: “Long ****ing flight [to Vegas] to end up spun around,” he said. “Honestly, I’d like to tell you more things [but] it’s just been a pretty ***t day.”

Going Up – Powerhouse

Mercedes appears to have emerged as the all-round second-best package if you take into account both cars and average driver performance.

An ominous sign for next year.

Going Down – Blame it on the boogie etc

Famous motor sport expert John Elkann, who inherited his position as Ferrari’s main man through sheer meritocracy of course, felt the need to blame the Scuderia’s recent woes on its drivers, leaving its mediocre Maranello machine blameless.

Cringe.