Crime & Safety
Christian Horner’s F1 comeback ‘vetoed’ with shock obstacle
The 52-year-old lives on the Oxfordshire border near Banbury with Spice Girl singer Geri Halliwell, whom he married in 2015.
Mr Horner had been team principal at Red Bull since 2005, overseeing eight drivers’ world championships and six constructors’ titles.
But this all came to an end last year when his team let him go mid-season over performance-related issues with the team.
READ MORE: Christian Horner finally secures new job after Red Bull departure
Mr Horner’s potential move back into Formula 1 has now reportedly been “vetoed” by Renault, following the latest twist in the ongoing Alpine stake sale saga.
A recent BBC report suggested that a proposed deal for Mercedes to acquire Otro Capital’s 24 per cent holding in Alpine has now collapsed, largely because of concerns over the valuation being sought.
According to those reports, Otro are said to be asking for around $720m for their stake, implying a total valuation of about $3b for Alpine.
Otro only bought the shareholding in 2023 for roughly $233m, while Mercedes is understood to view Alpine’s overall worth as closer to $2.3b.
The report read: “Renault is said to have decided not to continue with any further talks on the matter.
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“The French brand has a power of veto over any sale of the Otro shares until September, and would have used that to block any sale to a group that had links with Horner.”
This comes amid the 52-year-old’s first new role since leaving Red Bull last year, as he has been engaged by Oakley Capital as an advisor on the firm’s investments in premium sports.
The London-based private equity firm said Mr Horner will work with its investment team to spot and realise deals in what is now one of the fiercest battlegrounds in Europe’s private markets.
Founder Peter Dubens said: “Christian Horner is widely recognised as a highly successful leader in global sport.
“His track record, expertise and commercial instinct will be invaluable as we continue to scale our sports portfolio.”
Church End is set in South Leigh near Witney and has been listed on the market with estate and letting agents scottfraser.
Formerly two separate cottages, the estate now features a detached period residence, transformed into one family home.
Current owners have undertaken “extensive renovations and remodelling works, blending character features with contemporary design to create a truly unique property”.
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The heart of the home is the rear extension, connected to the original house by a glazed link.
This open-plan kitchen and dining space comes with large sliding patio doors opening onto a side terrace.
To the front of the property is a “spacious and elegant living room, full of charm and centred around an attractive fireplace”.
The ground floor also benefits from a cloakroom and two separate staircases.
READ MORE: Edwardian £3.95m country mansion with swimming pool up for sale
To the rear of the property, accessed from the kitchen or rear door, is a self-contained annexe comprising a bedroom, kitchen, living area and a contemporary wet room.
On the first floor, one side of the house offers two generous double bedrooms and a family bathroom.
The opposite side is dedicated to the principal suite, featuring vaulted ceilings, windows to both front and rear aspects, and an en-suite bathroom.
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The front garden is laid to lawn with mature shrubs and well-stocked borders.
To the rear is a private enclosed garden, also laid to lawn, together with off-road parking for several vehicles.
The property sits in Council Tax Band G, and those interested should call for further information or to arrange a viewing.
A mobile speed camera van was parked up along the Hennef Way in Banbury, close to the M40, between 6.30am and 8.30am on Monday, June 1.
Police caught 97 drivers exceeding the 40mph speed limit of the A422.
The highest recorded speed was 81mph and two large goods vehicles were also caught speeding.
A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: “Speeding significantly increases the risk of serious collisions and puts everyone in danger.
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“These figures highlight why our enforcement activity is so important.
“Please slow down, stick to the speed limits, and help keep our roads safe for everyone.”
Data reported on earlier this year revealed 69 per cent of speeding tickets handed out in Oxfordshire are from mobile speed camera vans.
Thames Valley Police caught 10,817 instances of speeding in the county for three months during the summer between July and September.
And of those, 7,512 vehicles were caught by somebody with a speed gun at the side of the road.
The worst area to get caught by a speed camera van is in the West Oxfordshire and Cherwell districts of the county, the data suggests, where 3,540 were caught in the three months.
Overall in Oxfordshire, fixed speed cameras flashed 3,305 times during the three months of summer, while mobile speed cameras recorded 7,512 instances of speeding.
St Hilda’s College completed the purchase of Stonemason House, 145 to 146 Magdalen Street, on Friday, May 29.
The building was purchased by the college from a vendor represented by Allsop.
It is being used for student accommodation with plans to house 44 St Hilda’s graduate students from October 2027.
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Stonemason House allows the College to house roughly 50 per cent of its graduate students, in addition to all undergraduates.
This then relieves some of the strain on the private rental market, says St Hilda’s College.
Bursar Chris Wood said: “The acquisition of Stonemason House is a landmark moment for St Hilda’s.
“It advances our commitment to providing accommodation for nearly half of our graduate students and represents a significant investment in the College’s long-term future.”
The future graduate accommodation has been placed to complement the College’s existing accommodation in Cowley Road and Iffley Road.
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This lively area of the city is popular with students and young professionals thanks to the wide variety of local restaurants and bars.
It is also within walking distance of the College on Cowley Place.
A statement regarding accommodation from St Hilda’s College reads: “We allocate accommodation for new graduates on a first-come, first-served basis once funding has been confirmed.
“We own several graduate houses where we can offer rooms to most first-year and some second-year graduates who want them.
“Many choose to rent privately. We have a small number of rooms for couples, but do not have accommodation suitable for families.”
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