Riccardo Patrese does not believe Frédéric Vasseur is the main problem behind Ferrari’s difficulties, warning that even bringing Christian Horner to Maranello would not provide an instant solution. With Ferrari once again falling short of expectations in 2026, the former Formula 1 driver believes the problems facing the Scuderia are more complicated than simply changing the team principal.
Ferrari’s victories in Barcelona and Silverstone had fuelled hopes that the 2026 season could develop differently. The latter was helped by a technical problem that prevented Andrea Kimi Antonelli from making short work of Charles Leclerc in the closing stages of the race. However, the last four Grands Prix have again changed the picture dramatically, leaving Lewis Hamilton 101 points behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari 145 points adrift of Mercedes.
Riccardo Patrese says Frédéric Vasseur is not Ferrari’s main problem
The final part of the season therefore risks becoming another slow and frustrating march towards 2027, when Ferrari hopes its new power unit can finally complement what is considered an excellent car in the SF-26. The current package has been held back by an engine judged to be more than 4% less competitive than the benchmark.
That makes Ferrari’s longer-term technical development particularly significant, with the team believing that continued work on the SF-26 can also benefit its 2027 Formula 1 project.
With results failing to match Ferrari’s history or expectations, it is inevitable that Frédéric Vasseur’s position as team principal comes under scrutiny. Riccardo Patrese, however, does not believe that simply replacing the Frenchman — even with a figure as successful as Christian Horner — would suddenly transform the team’s fortunes.
Christian Horner would do a good job, but Patrese sees no quick Ferrari fix
“Horner is a very good team principal. I am convinced he would do a very good job. But that is another story. I don’t want to say that Ferrari needs Christian Horner,” Riccardo Patrese told talkSPORT BET. “I don’t want to put all the blame on Vasseur. The situation is complicated because everyone expects Ferrari to win. But it is not as though Vasseur is the main problem in this situation.”
Riccardo Patrese nevertheless acknowledged the responsibility that inevitably falls on the person leading an organisation when the expected results fail to materialise. In his view, that principle applies well beyond Formula 1.
“That said, in any field, if you don’t get the results, the director or the president has to take responsibility, just like in football, where the coach has to do so when the team doesn’t win; it’s his fault. I’m not so sure, however, that if Vasseur were replaced, everything would suddenly be fine. There is no magic wand to wave at Ferrari.”
Ferrari’s problems go beyond the team principal debate
Riccardo Patrese’s assessment therefore separates two different questions. He regards Christian Horner as a highly capable team principal and accepts that Frédéric Vasseur must carry responsibility as Ferrari’s leader, but he does not see the team principal position itself as the fundamental explanation for the Scuderia’s situation.
That distinction becomes increasingly relevant as Ferrari turns its attention towards the final phase of 2026 and the technical foundations of its next campaign. The SF-26 has demonstrated enough potential to deliver victories, yet Ferrari’s current engine deficit has prevented the overall package from consistently fulfilling those expectations.
The comparison with the competition has also become increasingly difficult. Mercedes has opened a 145-point advantage over Ferrari, while Lewis Hamilton’s deficit to Andrea Kimi Antonelli has reached 101 points. The wider performance gap between the Scuderia and its main opponents can be followed through the Ferrari vs F1 Rivals statistics.
For Riccardo Patrese, changing the person at the top would therefore offer no guarantee that Ferrari’s wider problems would disappear with him. Whether Frédéric Vasseur remains in charge or Ferrari eventually considers another direction, his central argument is that there is no single appointment capable of instantly turning the Scuderia into a winning operation.
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