Vasseur breaks silence on Christian Horner as Ferrari faces fresh ‘distraction’

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has reportedly described Christian Horner as a distraction for the team, noting that Horner is looking for a job as attention continues to surround the former Red Bull boss.

Horner, dismissed as Red Bull team principal in July 2025 with an interview with The Times asserted that Ferrari is the only Formula 1 team he could work for without being given a shareholding.

Vasseur articulated his frustration with Horner after Saturday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix at which Charles Leclerc finished fourth and his Ferrari team-mate partner Lewis Hamilton was sixth.

In this connection, he said, “For me, first, but for everybody in the team, for the media, for 50% of the questions [to be] about this, it's a bit of a frustrating situation.”

“We are fighting for P3 [third place] in the championship, and at the end of the day, we are all speaking a lot about this, and even for the guys in the garage, to discuss about this, it's the best discussion that we can have.”

“But it is what it is, it's not in my hands. Mr Horner is looking for a job - that everybody knows - everywhere. But what can I do? Just try to do my best to push the team, to raise them to be motivated, and focus on what is better today.”

Horner was terminated from his role as chief executive officer and team principal by Red Bull after the 2025 British Grand Prix, and that decision followed a chaotic period in the wake of an employee's allegations. Ferrari entered the season aiming to be championship threat after the introduction of new engine rules in F1. It is crucial to note that Ferrari has not won a world championship since 2008 and has rarely had a fully competitive car since then.