Antonello Coletta’s extraordinary record with Ferrari’s endurance racing programme has placed him firmly in the discussion over who could eventually succeed Fred Vasseur in Formula 1, with the Italian having already achieved something the Scuderia desperately wants to replicate: ending a decades-long championship drought.
Pressure around Vasseur has increased during a 2026 season in which Ferrari have failed to mount the expected championship challenge, while reports of unrest inside the organisation have added to the scrutiny. No leadership change has been confirmed, but questions surrounding Fred Vasseur’s future have intensified as the team looks towards its next opportunity to return to the top.
Antonello Coletta brings decades of Ferrari experience
If Ferrari ultimately decide that a change is necessary, Coletta offers a very different profile from the other names being associated with the role. He joined Ferrari in 1997 and has served as Global Head of Endurance since 2015, giving him both extensive knowledge of the company and a long record of managing one of its major motorsport programmes.
The results under his leadership have been significant. Ferrari claimed three consecutive victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023, 2024 and 2025, with the first of those successes ending a wait stretching back to the marque’s previous overall victory in 1965.
Coletta then oversaw another major milestone in 2025 as Ferrari captured both the constructors’ and drivers’ world titles in the World Endurance Championship. That achievement ended a 53-year wait for Ferrari in the category and reinforced his reputation as a leader capable of turning long-term ambition into championship success.
Ferrari’s Formula 1 drought makes Antonello Coletta’s record significant
The comparison with Ferrari’s Formula 1 operation is difficult to ignore. The Scuderia last won the Constructors’ Championship in 2008, leaving the team in an 18-year title drought during the 2026 season. Race victories have arrived during that period, but the defining objective remains a return to championship-winning form.
That is why Coletta’s endurance record carries particular weight in the wider discussion. He has already led a Ferrari programme through a long period without a world title and eventually delivered both team and driver championships while representing the same organisation.
The question is now whether that success could translate into Formula 1. Coletta does not possess the same direct F1 management experience as some external candidates, but his familiarity with Ferrari, its internal culture and the pressures associated with representing the Prancing Horse provide a different set of credentials.
At the same time, reports have suggested Antonello Coletta is reluctant to take on the Formula 1 position, despite being considered as a possible alternative to Vasseur. That hesitation remains an important factor if Ferrari chairman John Elkann eventually decides a change of leadership is required.
Christian Horner offers Ferrari a very different option
Christian Horner is another prominent name in the discussion. The former Red Bull team principal has considerably more direct Formula 1 leadership experience and has recently indicated that Ferrari represents an opportunity he would consider.
However, a Horner appointment would attract substantial attention. His departure from Red Bull and his historically difficult relationship with Lewis Hamilton are among the factors that would place any potential move under immediate scrutiny. The background to Christian Horner’s recent comments about Ferrari has also become part of the wider debate over whether he represents a genuine option for Maranello.
Coletta, by contrast, would offer continuity with Ferrari’s existing culture alongside a proven record of success from another branch of the company’s racing operation. He already understands the organisation and has overseen some of Ferrari’s most important motorsport achievements of the modern era.
John Elkann faces an important Ferrari leadership decision
For now, Vasseur remains Ferrari team principal and there is no confirmed decision to replace him. Nevertheless, the contrast between Ferrari’s continuing Formula 1 championship drought and Coletta’s achievements in endurance racing makes the Italian an obvious figure whenever alternatives are discussed.
Ferrari’s leadership debate is also developing against a wider backdrop in which several candidates have been associated with the position. An earlier report indicated that Fred Vasseur was not John Elkann’s original first choice when Ferrari replaced Mattia Binotto, adding further context to the renewed uncertainty.
The argument for Coletta therefore rests less on Formula 1 experience than on what he has already accomplished within Ferrari. Three consecutive Le Mans victories and a world championship breakthrough after more than half a century provide a powerful record, even as his reported reluctance leaves uncertainty over whether he would actually accept the responsibility of leading the Scuderia in Formula 1.
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