Top 5 contenders who could replace Christian Horner if he leaves Red Bull

The latest controversy to take over F1 has been the internal investigation of Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner. Much has been said by the publications all over the world about it. There have been quite a few outlandish claims that have been made as well.

In all of this, there's one thing that stands out and is probably not getting the attention it deserves. What if someone like Christian Horner succumbs and has to resign from the top spot at Red Bull? What if the brand is forced to find a replacement for the man who has built the team from scratch? This is a daunting challenge and needs to be addressed immediately.

The F1 ecosystem and beyond is not without its set of exceptional talents that can get the job done. There are many who would just love to take over a well-oiled machine that just executed the most dominant season in F1.

Who would, however, be on the shortlist for Red Bull if it does finally make a move to end the Christian Horner association? Let's take a look.

Contenders who could replace Christian Horner at Red Bull

#1 Jonathan Wheatley

Jonathan Wheatley at F1 Grand Prix of Mexico

If the team is looking at a successor that is homegrown and has done a brilliant job within the squad, then that might bring forth a name like Jonathan Wheatley. He has been an influential figure on the pit wall for Red Bull for some time.

In essence, he is in a somewhat similar situation as James Vowles found himself in at Mercedes, where the only logical progression left for him was to lead the team. If Christian Horner gets the boot, then Wheatley might be the first man who could be considered if the emphasis is to promote from within.

#2 Davide Brivio

A name that was criminally underutilized by F1 in the last few years was a proven talent in Davide Brivio. A man famous for bringing glory to not one but two different brands in MotoGP (Honda and Suzuki), Brivio was part of Alpine but by the looks of it, was severely wasted at Enstone. The man who was responsible for championship triumphs in MotoGP for different constructors was never given a proper chance in F1.

He has a brilliant track record in a different discipline and is famous for marshaling his troops in some of the best ways (He won the title with Suzuki in MotoGP on a shoestring budget). Red Bull might just be keeping an eye on him as it looks for the successor of Christian Horner.

#3 Otmar Szafneur

Otmar Szafneur's name does not get spoken of in high regard ever since his last stint in F1 with Alpine. The man was hired to bring the French squad back to the top in 2005-06 but the manner in which the entire undertaking was handled, left a bad taste in the mouth of everyone.

Otmar was fired after what appeared to be a change of heart from the Alpine management and since then, he's been in contact with multiple teams as well. Otmar's record has been brilliant in the past as well. He was the man at the forefront of one of the most efficient operations in F1 with Force India when the team finished P4 in the championship.

#4 Andreas Seidl

Andreas Seidl at F1 Grand Prix of Hungary - Final Practice

It's true that Andreas Seidl is involved in building the Audi project as a CEO but if the call came from a team like Red Bull, that too, for replacing Christian Horner, it would be hard to assume that Seidl would not consider it. The track that Seidl has throughout his career has been remarkable. Success with Audi and Porsche in Endurance racing before moving to F1 and spearheading McLaren's resurgence deserves a lot of credit.

What it also does is that it gives Seidl's work a lot of credibility and an Austrian outfit might want that in its leader.

#5 James Barclay

A name that not many would be aware of in F1 is James Barclay, a man who is making his name in Formula E as the leader of Jaguar. In a somewhat crowded and highly competitive field like Formula E, it's hard to stand out for anyone and that's what Barclay has been able to accomplish.

He knows how to win and his record at Jaguar turned heads last year. At this moment in Formula E, Barclay's team stands out more than anyone else's, with Nick Cassidy even leading the championship right now. He could be someone that Red Bull looks at as Christian Horner's replacement if an out-of-the-box talent is what the team is looking for.