Former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner could be on his way back to Formula 1 — this time in red. Ferrari president John Elkann is reportedly “focused” on bringing Horner in as team principal, according to veteran F1 journalist Ralf Bach.
Horner, who was dismissed from his dual roles as CEO and team principal of Red Bull in July after 20 years with the team, has remained out of work since his departure. His exit was formally completed in August when Red Bull removed him from their Companies House filings and agreed to a £52 million payoff.
Initially placed on gardening leave, Horner later waived part of his compensation to shorten the restriction period, allowing him to speak with other teams. Reports suggest he has since been in talks with multiple team owners about a possible comeback. Aston Martin boss Andy Cowell even remarked during the Singapore Grand Prix that Horner had been “ringing up pretty much every team owner.”
Despite recently extending current team principal Frédéric Vasseur’s contract, Ferrari’s leadership appears open to a shake-up. Bach claims Elkann is “very focused on securing Christian Horner’s place,” describing the Ferrari president as “an emotional guy who often follows his instincts.”
“Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna extended Vasseur’s deal, yet his position already seems unstable,” Bach added. “That’s where Horner comes in — he has 14 world titles on his resume.”
Both Elkann and Vigna addressed Ferrari’s performance concerns during the company’s Capital Markets Day on Thursday. Vigna admitted:
“Our goal was to win races. We achieved that in endurance racing with the 499P at Le Mans, but in Formula 1 we need to improve. We must win — it’s our duty to our loyal fans around the world.”
If a deal goes through, Horner’s arrival at Ferrari would set the stage for a fascinating partnership — and potential tension — with Lewis Hamilton, who joins the team next season.
Horner and Hamilton have a turbulent history, particularly after their intense 2021 title battle when the Red Bull boss condemned Hamilton for his collision with Max Verstappen at Silverstone, calling the move “dangerous” and “desperate.”
When asked about Horner’s dismissal earlier this year, Hamilton kept his response brief:
“When I’m away from race weekends, I don’t really pay attention to what’s happening in F1 outside my team. I wasn’t surprised or not surprised. I was just minding my business.”
A potential Horner-Hamilton reunion at Ferrari would certainly be one of Formula 1’s most intriguing storylines heading into 2026.
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