Ferrari have chosen their new ‘scapegoat’ after backing Fred Vasseur amid Christian Horner links

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Fred Vasseur may now be safe in Maranello despite the recent raft of reports linking Christian Horner with his job, but one Ferrari F1 chief is on very thin ice at the team.

Speculation spread like wildfire after the Singapore Grand Prix earlier in October that Ferrari chairman John Elkann was considering appointing Horner to replace Vasseur after the Briton finalised his exit from Red Bull. Horner is free to take over another F1 team from April 2026.

It was said that Ferrari are taking Horner’s availability to replace Vasseur very seriously, with the Scuderia yet to score a Grand Prix win during the 2025 season. Ferrari also trail McLaren in the F1 constructors’ championship by 352 points and Mercedes by 27 with six rounds left.

But after Vasseur made his irritation about the Horner links clear to Ferrari this Wednesday, Elkann has given the Frenchman his support to stay in charge into the 2026 F1 season. Yet a head could still roll in Maranello, as Ferrari have chosen a ‘scapegoat’ for their sorry season.

Ferrari could make Matteo Togninalli the scapegoat for their sorry 2025 F1 season

That is according to FunoAnalisiTecnica, which reports that Ferrari head of track engineering Matteo Togninalli may be the sacrificial lamb for the Scuderia’s struggles in 2025. The Italian is embroiled in an ‘internal conflict’ with Vasseur, who has also lamented Ferrari’s execution.

READ MORE: Who is Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur? Everything you need to know

Vasseur and Lewis Hamilton have both voiced concerns about Ferrari’s strategic execution in race weekends. Team principal Vasseur believes their issues have prevented Charles Leclerc and Hamilton from showing the real potential of the SF-25, which he continues to believe in.

So, Ferrari are now examining to which role they can reassign Togninalli to for as soon as the 2026 campaign, as well as who could replace the Sondrio native. Vasseur knows that Ferrari must improve their race execution, including the analysis and application of all of their data.

Matteo Togninalli has been Ferrari’s head of track engineering since 2015

As well as his clashes with team principal Vasseur, it has also been reported that Togninalli’s terrible temper has caused clashes within Ferrari. Now, the 48-year-old may find his role has an expiration date on it after 20 years with the Scuderia and a full decade in his current role.

Vasseur can ill afford to leave Togninalli in his role for another season if the Ferrari boss has any doubts about the Italian’s suitability for the position going forward. Next year will again be crucial for the Frenchman’s future, with F1’s 2026 regulations giving Ferrari a big chance.

While Ferrari signed Vasseur to a new contract through 2027 this July, the Scuderia’s plight since he put pen to paper put the focus back on his position. Ferrari have not finished on a Grand Prix podium through the five rounds since they announced Vasseur’s latest contract.