Ferrari could block Christian Horner move as talks would ‘stall’ for the same reason as Adrian Newey

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Ferrari’s recent struggles have led to links with former Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner reemerging.

Christian Horner’s two-decade association with Red Bull ended following this year’s British Grand Prix, with a rift between himself and the team’s Austrian owners proving to be a critical issue.

Horner lost the backing of Red Bull’s Thai owners, and Laurent Mekies was named as his replacement after Silverstone.

Red Bull have enjoyed somewhat of a revival in recent races, although Mekies won’t take any credit for Max Verstappen suddenly emerging as an unlikely title challenger.

Verstappen could single-handedly help Red Bull finish above Ferrari in the constructors’ championship this year as their struggles persist.

The Singapore Grand Prix was another example of how things aren’t going to plan for Fred Vasseur’s team this year.

Charles Leclerc was so disappointed after finishing sixth, and Lewis Hamilton suffered a brake failure to eventually be classified in eighth.

This underperformance has set alarm bells ringing among the tifosi with concerns over how the Scuderia will deal with F1’s upcoming rule change.

It’s also led to Horner being linked with Ferrari, but there are reasons emerging why a deal wouldn’t be sustainable, and they link back to Adrian Newey.

READ MORE: All to know on sacked Red Bull team principal Christian Horner with net worth

Ferrari ‘sources’ intervene to block Christian Horner move as Adrian Newey theory emerges

A report from the Italian arm of Motorsport has shared more details about the links between Horner and Ferrari.

Ferrari chairman John Elkann was previously interested in Horner back in 2022, before Vasseur was appointed as team principal.

Nothing came of their meeting, but it highlighted that the 51-year-old has been on the Scuderia’s radar for some time.

The report suggests that ‘sources in Maranello intervened’ to make sure that Horner wouldn’t end up working for Ferrari.

If and when he returns to F1, Horner wants a part-ownership role similar to Toto Wolff at Mercedes.

This is similar to Newey’s position at Aston Martin, with Lawrence Stroll offering him a stake in the team to convince him to join after leaving Red Bull.

The report goes on to say that talks between Newey and Ferrari likely ‘stalled’ because Elkann wasn’t willing to offer the designer any ownership share within the team.

It’s believed that negotiations with Horner would break down for a similar reason, meaning he’ll have to look elsewhere on the grid.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory

Which Formula 1 team could Christian Horner end up working for?

It’s believed that Horner can return to the Formula 1 paddock to start work from the middle of next season.

Ideally, he would want to be in a position to help a team from the start of next year’s regulation changes, but Horner sacrificed some of his severance to cut down his gardening leave.

Most teams on the grid have distanced themselves from working with the former Red Bull boss, with Haas no longer planning to meet with Horner.

Alpine appear to be an attractive prospect for Horner despite Renault’s insistence that they’re not willing to sell.

Horner has a good relationship with Flavio Briatore and the Enstone-based outfit have had more team principals than any of their rivals in recent years, pointing to a lack of stability.

It would be a surprise if Horner didn’t end up in the paddock at some point next year, but Ferrari looks less and less like a suitable option.