Christian Horner made his presence felt at the Monaco Formula E paddock over the weekend, marking another public appearance as the former Red Bull chief explores avenues back into Formula 1.
The 52-year-old, who departed the Milton Keynes outfit last summer, has completed his period of gardening leave, which concluded earlier this month.
During Saturday's Monaco E-Prix, Horner was interviewed on the grid by Nicki Shields and Jamie Chadwick alongside pole-sitter Dan Ticktum, a former Red Bull junior driver.
"It's really nice being at a race where you have absolutely no pressure, so I really don't care who wins," Horner remarked.
Christian Horner is exploring avenues back into Formula 1
|GETTY
"I'm just going to enjoy the weekend and learn a little more about this championship."
Horner's return to the spotlight has taken an intriguing turn following his attendance at an event hosted by BYD during the Cannes Film Festival.
The former team principal held preliminary discussions with Stella Li, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer's executive vice president, according to reports.
BYD has been actively investigating a potential Formula 1 entry, with Li having previously met F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali at the Chinese Grand Prix to explore the sport as a platform for the company's technology.
The manufacturer is reportedly keen to establish a fresh operation rather than purchasing a stake in an existing constructor, potentially creating an 11th or 12th grid entry.
Christian Horner was sacked by Red Bull last year | REUTERSHorner's departure from Red Bull came as a shock, particularly given conversations he had held with the team's ownership shortly beforehand.
According to journalist Matt Majiende on The Race F1 Podcast, Horner travelled to Dubai to meet Chalerm Yoovidhya, one of the team's most influential figures, to discuss a recovery strategy.
The former boss was informed he would have three years to restore the team's fortunes, yet found himself dismissed mere weeks afterwards following the British Grand Prix.
His exit came amid mounting internal tensions and declining performance, including the departure of design guru Adrian Newey.
Horner subsequently received a settlement reportedly valued between £52 million and £80 million.
Christian Horner has been widely rumoured to return to F1 soon
| PABeyond the BYD discussions, Horner has been strongly linked with Alpine, where investment firm Otro Capital is seeking to offload its 24 per cent holding in the Enstone-based squad.
However, Renault does not view Horner as their preferred candidate, with Toto Wolff and Mercedes having expressed interest in acquiring the operation.
McLaren boss Zak Brown has written to the FIA raising concerns about potential Mercedes ownership, which could inadvertently clear a path for Horner's bid.
The former Red Bull chief has maintained a visible presence across motorsport, having visited the MotoGP paddock at Jerez in April alongside Domenicali before his Monaco Formula E appearance.