Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has admitted that he approached new Aston Martin CEO Andy Cowell ahead of his appointment at Silverstone to lure him into the Milton Keynes-based Formula 1 team’s new powertrain division.

Cowell delivered a remarkable performance as Managing Director of Mercedes AMG HPP from 2013 to 2020, spearheading the brand’s dominant run of championship wins in F1.

Under Cowell’s leadership, Mercedes produced the V6 Hybrid powertrains that delivered seven consecutive championship titles during his tenure.

The former Mercedes driver retired from F1 in 2020 and given his successful CV, it is no surprise that Horner has chosen to lead Cowell to Red Bull Powertrains.

“Andy is a great guy,” Horner said.

“He’s a very strong engineer. He did a fantastic job (on the Mercedes AMG HPP), he was the backbone behind the project.

“He chose to leave Mercedes and spend some time outside of Formula 1 and of course I think every engine manufacturer spoke to him at that time.

“After deciding he wanted to take a break, we made alternative plans.

“We are very happy with those plans, but he has taken on a non-engine related role at Aston Martin.”

Horner appears content with Cowell’s lack of direct involvement in engine matters at the rival team, but Martin Whitmarsh, who takes over as CEO at Aston Martin in October, will no doubt facilitate the Silverstone-based outfit’s transformation into a fully-fledged factory outfit by forming a partnership with power unit manufacturer Honda in 2026.

“F1 has always been a competitive passion of mine and I join Aston Martin Aramco at an exciting time as we near the completion of the AMR Technology Campus and transition to a full factory team in 2026 with our strategic partners Honda and Aramco,” Cowell said.

Fernando Alonso said of Cowell’s appointment: “It’s exciting, I mean Aston Martin is a very exciting project. We are aware that our results at the weekends were not good enough.

“We are still very attractive from a talent perspective, as we have seen with Andy and some of the guys connected to the team.”

Red Bull is continuing the development of a brand new F1 power unit in line with the 2026 regulations.

The reigning F1 champion’s Powertrain division has announced Ford as a partner in 2023 to provide financial support and technical know-how on batteries and related electrical components.