Is Ferrari really interested in Christian Horner. Maybe. We talked about it even one month ago only as a hypothesis, while today it seems there are more confirmations based on various reports in the Italian and international media. According to many, the Maranello team conducted a survey for the Brit. It seems that Ferrari, after investigating Christian Horner’s relationship with Red Bull, through top management sent an offer to the person involved.
The British manager’s position in Red Bull is no longer as solid as before. That is what is being said. After Adrian Newey’s departure, who together with Andy Cowell is designing Aston Martin’s future, the Milton Keynes team has entered a technical and performance downward trajectory. One might wonder what Red Bull would be without the Dutch driver. Yes, because good Max Verstappen has been keeping the Austrian team afloat for a long time.
His immense talent manages to limit the damage. However, this ability seems no longer enough in the 2025 Formula 1 campaign, despite some highlights like the Japanese Grand Prix or the Imola race. Although the Austrian team tried to deny the news, the biggest media outlets worldwide have run with it. But in these cases, it is also right to consider a certain aspect.
An element that, although it may seem almost absurd in its dynamic, often appears in the paddock. We refer to the need to circulate this kind of news in an “interested” way, to gain personal advantages during negotiations. Christian Horner was protected by the Thai ownership last year, when the “employee X” issue aired. The matter seriously undermined the Englishman’s position, but, thanks to the work done since 2005 creating Red Bull from scratch, he basically received Chalerm Yoovidhya’s support in this thorny matter. From what is read, this unconditional support no longer exists. Christian Horner’s powers are reduced and limited, no longer able to decide alone the fate of the team on important matters.
Regarding Ferrari, it is clear that team principal Frederic Vasseur will be evaluated in the coming months. Putting the news aside, one question arises: does the Maranello team really need Christian Horner? Undoubtedly, the first thought that comes to mind is very simple: for the British motorsport executive to accept a possible role in Maranello, he would need full decision-making powers over sporting management, precisely the scenario that Adrian Newey rightly demanded — in his case on a technical level — to become a Ferrari man.
That the Italian side is not enthusiastic about Frédéric Vasseur is no longer a secret. The current team principal is facing his third season with the Prancing Horse, and results have not arrived. It must be said that the second place in the 2024 Formula 1 constructors’ championship is not seen by management as a merit of their own. Although Ferrari believed until the last race in Abu Dhabi, those in charge know well the role McLaren played by dropping points throughout the championship.
The next months will be crucial for Frederic Vasseur. There will be a precise evaluation regarding his work. Confidence in the Frenchman has not disappeared, although it is no longer what it was. Much will also depend on what we will see from the corrections on the SF-25 single-seater. But beyond the fate of the Frenchman, an important concept remains: the Italian team does not like being commanded at all.
To have with you the F1 guru, as could have been the case with Adrian Newey, or a super-successful manager like Christian Horner, it is necessary to hand over the keys of the Maranello factory to individuals like them. A situation that the historic Italian team does not seem at all willing to accept. An insurmountable obstacle that has probably already prevented several arrivals in recent seasons.
Also for this reason, we believe that, beyond Christian Horner’s possible future away from Red Bull, seeing him in the red suit would be very complicated. Even though, in the article we mentioned earlier, for us it could be the right move. The same goes for trying to take a phenomenon like Max Verstappen. After all, Formula 1 history teaches us that in order to start a cycle and be able to win, it is essential to take the best.
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