Follow us on Google Discover Ferrari only recently gave their team principal Fred Vasseur a new contract, but Red Bull sacking Christian has firmly put the Briton back on the Maranello outfit’s radar.
The pride of Italy tied Vasseur down back in July with a new deal that they hoped would also end the speculation surrounding the 57-year-old’s role. Yet Ferrari have continued to endure a desolate year in the 2025 F1 season, which has left the Frenchman’s future in doubt again.
Ferrari are the only one of F1’s top four teams yet to win a Grand Prix after 18 rounds of this year’s 24. The Maranello outfit also trail Mercedes by 27 points in the fight for second in the F1 constructors’ standings. McLaren have already taken the 2025 title with 352 more points.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton also only rank fifth and sixth in the F1 drivers’ standings. So, Ferrari chairman John Elkann is now believed to be considering replacing Vasseur, with a move for Horner playing on his mind after Red Bull sacked the Briton after 20 years this July.
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It is said that Ferrari are wooing Horner as Elkann has lost faith in Vasseur being the boss to turn their plight around and finally bring a title back to Maranello. Horner officially left Red Bull in September after agreeing to a reduced severance package to cut his gardening leave.
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TEAM PRINCIPALTEAMAPPOINTEDDEBUT RACEToto WolffMercedesJanuary 20132013 Australian GPAndrea StellaMcLarenDecember 20222023 Bahrain GPFred VasseurFerrariDecember 20222023 Bahrain GPJames VowlesWilliamsJanuary 20232023 Bahrain GPAyao KomatsuHaasJanuary 20242024 Bahrain GPGraeme LowdonCadillacDecember 20242026 Australian GP*Andy CowellAston MartinJanuary 20252025 Australian GPJonathan WheatleySauberApril 20252025 Japanese GPLaurent MekiesRed BullJuly 20252025 Belgian GPAlan PermaneRacing BullsJuly 20252025 Belgian GPSteve NielsenAlpineSeptember 20252025 Italian GPFormula 1 team principals sorted by debut race
The Daily Mail claims that Horner accepted an £80m pay-off to leave Red Bull when he may have been able to secure £110m as his contract in Milton Keynes ran through 2030. But the 51-year-old accepted a lower fee to ensure he can take over another F1 team in April 2026.
Now, Elkann hopes to finally convince Horner to join Ferrari, after two years of failing to get the Leamington Spa native to leave Red Bull. But the Briton moving to Maranello might put Hamilton and Leclerc’s futures in doubt, as he would want Ferrari to target Max Verstappen.
Horner would ‘immediately’ look to convince Verstappen to leave Red Bull, which could put Hamilton’s future in doubt. Hamilton is due to be out of contract at Ferrari at the end of the 2026 season, and Horner has twice rejected chances to sign the 40-year-old previously.
Hamilton’s father, Anthony, approached Horner before the Briton debuted in F1 to explore a move away from the McLaren stable. Horner also rejected Lewis directly when they spoke in 2011 after the Canadian Grand Prix about sealing a possible move from McLaren to Red Bull.
Ferrari fear hiring Christian Horner could block them from signing Max Verstappen
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How Verstappen would react to Horner potentially trying to reunite with his former Red Bull driver at Ferrari is unclear, given the reports that the 28-year-old played a part in the latter’s dismissal. It was soon claimed that Verstappen helped to convince Red Bull to sack Horner.
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TEAMDRIVER 1DRIVER 2AlpinePierre GaslyN/AAston MartinFernando AlonsoLance StrollAudiGabriel BortoletoNico HulkenbergCadillacValtteri BottasSergio PerezFerrariCharles LeclercLewis HamiltonHaasEsteban OconOliver BearmanMcLarenLando NorrisOscar PiastriMercedesN/AN/ARacing BullsN/AN/ARed Bull RacingMax VerstappenN/AWilliamsAlex AlbonCarlos Sainz2026 confirmed F1 drivers
It has even been suggested recently that Ferrari fear hiring Horner could prevent them from signing Verstappen. But it now appears that Horner would want to at least try to tempt the four-time defending drivers’ champion to activate his release clause at the end of next year.
Verstappen can leave Red Bull at the end of 2026 should he want to, as the Dutchman has a release clause connected to him ranking outside the top two in the drivers’ standings at the summer break. So, his exit clause could give Horner a route to replacing Hamilton or Leclerc.