During the 2025 British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone, Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown both addressed the growing speculation surrounding Frédéric Vasseur’s future at Scuderia Ferrari. In recent weeks, rumors circulating within the Formula 1 paddock have suggested increasing tension between the French Team Principal and the upper management of the Maranello-based team.
Much of the recent F1 media coverage has focused on Frédéric Vasseur and the ongoing internal challenges at Ferrari. The disappointing results seen during the first half of the 2025 Formula One season have fallen short of expectations, both within the team and among fans, reigniting long-standing concerns over Ferrari’s organizational structure and strategic direction.
After the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg, the teams traveled to Great Britain for the twelfth round of the season, which also marks the end of the first half of the 2025 World Championship. It is at the Silverstone Circuit, among the fast corners and historical backdrop of British motorsport, that Ferrari seems to have shown signs of recovery—narrowing the gap significantly to rivals McLaren. Yet despite this encouraging step forward, speculation about a possible split between Fred Vasseur and Ferrari has not died down. Instead, it continues to be a hot topic of conversation within the paddock.
Two prominent figures in the sport—Christian Horner and Zak Brown—have stepped in to offer public support for Fred Vasseur, despite being rivals on track.
Christian Horner, who has been Team Principal of Red Bull Racing since its inception, was the first to speak on the matter. He pointed to what he sees as a structural weakness within Ferrari. “I believe that stability is extremely important in any organization,” Horner commented. “At Red Bull Racing, we have had 21 years of stability, and that continuity has delivered the kind of results we’ve achieved.”
While Horner has led Red Bull uninterrupted since 2005, Ferrari has gone through six different team principals in that same period—a constant reshuffling that he suggests is detrimental to long-term success.
“I think Fred Vasseur is a very capable manager. He’s running what is essentially a national team in Ferrari, and with that comes tremendous expectations and pressure. He is still relatively new in the role, and it takes time to implement the right processes, the right people, and the right culture,” Horner added.
“There are no magic fixes in this business. It’s about aligning a group of people to work collectively towards a shared objective. And with Ferrari, there’s the added burden of national pressure and legacy.” His words seemed to carry a clear message to Ferrari chairman John Elkann and the executive leadership: give Fred Vasseur time and space to execute a long-term vision.
Zak Brown also defends Vasseur
Shortly after, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown also spoke out in defense of Frédéric Vasseur. Despite the fierce rivalry between Ferrari and McLaren, Brown and Vasseur have maintained a strong personal and professional relationship.
“I’m a fan of Fred,” said Brown. “I’ve known him for a very long time, as we all have in this paddock. I find him very sporting, and I enjoy competing against him. He’s extremely technical and very much a racer at heart. He’s involved in multiple disciplines across motorsport. Last year, he was just a step away from winning the World Championship, so I believe he’s doing a very good job.”
Both Christian Horner and Zak Brown—despite leading competing teams—converged in their opinion that Fred Vasseur is not the problem at Ferrari. Instead, they suggested that stability and long-term planning are what the team needs most. Their public backing is likely a subtle but strong message to the Ferrari board, urging them to resist the temptation of short-term reactions in a sport where consistency is key.
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