Horner: ‘New team’ approached Red Bull staff

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed that some of his staff have been approached about joining a  mystery new team.

According to reports, a Chinese-based consortium have been looking at the remains of the now defunct Manor Racing team as a foundation to build a new team for as early as next season.

And Horner has confirmed that there has also been interest in some of the members of the Red Bull garage, too.

"Some of our people were asked if they would be interested in working for a new team," Horner said via Auto Motor und Sport.

"But to start next year with a new team, it is actually already too late."

FOM boss Ross Brawn recently revealed that a number of interested parties have enquired about joining the Formula 1 grid, but one factor in particular is holding them back.

"About ten people have asked," Brawn said. "But they all wanted to know whether we would change the rules so that new teams would be allowed a slice of the prize money distribution.

"However, we told them that we are bound by existing contracts until 2020."