Ferrari is not interested in Christian Horner, and Frédéric Vasseur has been officially confirmed as the man in charge at Maranello for at least one more year. According to the latest information gathered and reported by the Italian media from sources close to the team, there was never any genuine or concrete negotiation between the two parties. The top management at the Scuderia has chosen not to give in to the instinct to make a drastic, reactionary change, opting instead to demonstrate full and unwavering confidence in the French manager. It was a deliberate and carefully considered decision, made after evaluating all possible risks and benefits. Yesterday, during a private meeting held at the Ferrari headquarters in Maranello, Frédéric Vasseur reportedly expressed his frustration and discomfort over the endless rumors and speculation surrounding his position. In response, the team reassured him by promising to provide more consistent and visible support in terms of media communication and public image management.
A reasonable confirmation ahead of the upcoming technical revolution
Replacing the team principal on the eve of the major regulatory overhaul set for the 2026 Formula 1 season—the most significant technical transformation in the modern hybrid era—would have been an enormous risk for Ferrari. It would have been a true leap into the dark, a potentially destabilizing move at a moment when the Scuderia needs stability and long-term planning more than ever. Even if Ferrari’s current campaign has not met expectations and its present situation is far from ideal, such a radical change of leadership could have generated even more internal uncertainty.
To be completely honest, the famous Italian team has endured other seasons that were equally, if not more, disappointing than this one. However, what makes this situation particularly uncomfortable for Ferrari is the sharp contrast between the triumphant pre-season expectations and the actual results on track, which have been underwhelming at best. Before the 2025 Formula 1 season began, hopes were high that the new SF-25 single-seater would allow the Italian side to regularly challenge McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes for race victories. Instead, reality has shown that the car still suffers from structural limitations that have made it difficult for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to consistently compete for podium finishes.
Of course, mistakes in technical assessment and performance projections are part of the sport. Formula 1 is, by its very nature, a complex and unpredictable environment, and Ferrari is far from being the only team to have overestimated its capabilities. Still, this is not the first time in recent years that Ferrari has aimed for the moon without being able to deliver on its ambitious promises. What has caused the greatest frustration among fans and insiders alike is the repeated, overly optimistic communication regarding the car’s problems and development potential. The SF-25 was often described as a car with untapped performance, but in reality, that potential never truly existed—except in very specific and limited operational windows that risked exposing the car to non-compliance with FIA regulations.
In essence, Ferrari has continued to postpone the hope of a genuine performance resurgence, an upturn in form that has yet to materialize even after months of updates and adjustments. Unless one assumes a form of self-sabotage, it seems evident that Frédéric Vasseur has been misled by overly positive feedback from his trusted technical circle, the so-called “inner circle” of advisors and engineers who manage key aspects of the team’s development strategy. Meanwhile, the direct competitors, namely McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes, have demonstrated that it is entirely possible to fight at the top without necessarily having the best car on the grid.
The poor results and inconsistency have become fertile ground for those who have always regarded Frédéric Vasseur as merely a temporary solution, a stopgap measure rather than a long-term leader. Some within the paddock continue to see him as an emergency appointment, especially considering that up until the end of 2022 he served as team principal at Alfa Romeo. Nevertheless, many analysts and commentators have expressed appreciation for the decision made by Benedetto Vigna and John Elkann to maintain continuity. Stability, after all, is essential at a time when the entire Formula 1 world is preparing for a technological revolution in 2026, with new engine regulations and a major aerodynamic reset. Fred Vasseur’s departure could have thrown the team into additional confusion just when it needs to prepare with method and focus for the future.
Failure opens the door to speculation and rumors
The disappointing performances, often stemming from a range of recurring and unpredictable technical issues, have inevitably damaged the public perception of Frédéric Vasseur’s leadership. Ferrari’s well-known volatility at the top of its sporting management has fueled a new wave of speculation in the Formula 1 paddock. Some journalists and fans began to suggest that the Scuderia might be interested in signing Christian Horner, the long-time Red Bull team principal who has guided Max Verstappen and the Milton Keynes-based outfit to unprecedented dominance in recent seasons. It is an appealing idea for many, but for now, it remains nothing more than a fantasy.
The speculation arose partly because Christian Horner recently negotiated a multi-million-euro severance package with Red Bull, a move that could have theoretically allowed him to return to Formula 1 much sooner than initially expected under the terms of his former contract. For this reason, it might have seemed logical for Ferrari to at least evaluate the possibility of approaching him. After all, Christian Horner’s track record includes multiple world championships and a consistent ability to manage both technical and political challenges within the sport. However, based on information obtained from sources close to the Maranello headquarters, Ferrari never seriously considered this path. Frédéric Vasseur continues to enjoy the complete trust of the team’s senior leadership, and he remains firmly in charge of the Scuderia’s sporting direction.
No plan B beyond Vasseur’s leadership
Yesterday, during an informal and confidential discussion, Frédéric Vasseur reportedly met with a senior executive from Benedetto Vigna’s inner management circle. During the meeting, the Frenchman expressed his irritation and unease about the ongoing wave of speculation targeting both himself and his technical staff throughout the past week. It is now clear that the team will not respond to these rumors with an official public statement, since doing so would only validate the notion that Ferrari’s leadership was indeed under internal pressure.
After all, the last time the team publicly reaffirmed confidence in one of its team principals, that person—Mattia Binotto—was removed from his position only a few weeks later. Ferrari’s management is well aware of how such announcements can backfire in the eyes of both the media and the fans. However, according to our sources, Frédéric Vasseur has once again received a strong vote of confidence from Ferrari’s executive board. In addition, he has been promised greater institutional and communication support to help strengthen his public image and reinforce the sense of unity within the organization.
This renewed support was essential and came at a critical moment. In the complex and highly scrutinized world of Formula 1, perception and communication play as important a role as performance itself. Seeing the senior management of the team visibly stand behind its team principal sends an important message to both the media and the fans: Ferrari is determined to stay the course and avoid falling into the same trap of instability that has undermined its progress in previous years. Internal alignment between leadership, engineers, and drivers is vital if the team is to move forward and return to fighting for world championships in the near future.
Nonetheless, there is an implicit understanding that the first races of the 2026 Formula 1 season will be decisive for Frédéric Vasseur’s long-term future at the team. Ferrari knows all too well what it means to misinterpret a new regulatory framework, as was the case during past transitions such as the move to the hybrid era in 2014, which saw Mercedes dominate while Ferrari struggled to adapt. Despite the technical concessions and transitional allowances granted by the FIA to facilitate the implementation of the new regulations, any early misstep could have serious consequences for the Scuderia’s competitiveness.
For this reason, the coming months will be crucial in shaping the next phase of Ferrari’s strategy. The Maranello-based team must use this time to consolidate its internal structure, refine the technical direction of its 2026 Formula 1 car project, and ensure that communication between management and the technical departments remains transparent and consistent. Only through a united approach will Ferrari be able to regain the confidence of its supporters and prove that the decision to keep Frédéric Vasseur in charge was indeed the right one.
And you? What do you think about Ferrari’s decision to continue with Fred Vasseur beyond 2025? Let us know with a comment at the end of the article or on our social media channels: Facebook Group / Facebook Page / Instagram / X (former Twitter) and TikTok.
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