Ferrari insiders taking one Christian Horner scenario ‘very seriously’ amid pressure on Fred Vasseur

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Ferrari F1 team principal Fred Vasseur is under growing pressure amid the Scuderia’s sorry season, along with Christian Horner now hitting the market after he left Red Bull.

The 2025 F1 season has so far yielded very few highlights for the Maranello natives after the first 18 rounds of this year’s scheduled 24. Ferrari are the only one of F1’s top four teams yet to win a Grand Prix, and have only taken one pole position and five podium finishes all term.

Charles Leclerc scored Ferrari pole for the Hungarian Grand Prix, when he sprang a surprise in Q3. The Monegasque even boasts all five of the Scuderia’s podiums so far. Lewis Hamilton is yet to reach a rostrum since he joined Ferrari, with the Briton’s best results so far each P4.

Ferrari have only been able to celebrate Hamilton’s F1 Sprint win in China, plus his P3 in the Miami Sprint, since his move from Mercedes. Now, Vasseur could pay for the pride of Italy’s infinite woe, with Ferrari chairman John Elkann pursuing Horner about taking over the helm.

Ferrari are taking Christian Horner’s availability to replace Fred Vasseur ‘very seriously’

Red Bull sacked Horner after 20 years in charge of the Milton Keynes outfit in July, and also formalised his departure in September. Horner accepted a reduced pay-off to leave Red Bull, as it also reduced his gardening leave. The Briton can join another F1 team from early 2026.

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

And Pit Lane Chronicle now reports that it seems clear that ‘at least some’ members within the Ferrari hierarchy are taking Horner’s availability ‘very seriously’. But not all of the board in Maranello would currently support a possible deal for the 51-year-old to replace Vasseur.

Ferrari’s interest in Horner replacing Vasseur has highlighted a split within their hierarchy, as Scuderia bosses squabble about the best way for the pride of Italy to improve their fortunes. It is also unclear how advanced Ferrari’s talks with Horner about him potentially joining are.

The Ferrari hierarchy is split about replacing Fred Vasseur with Christian Horner

Ferrari could take huge action to convince Horner to replace Vasseur, as reports in Italy have suggested the Scuderia might explore creating a base in England to overcome his reluctance to move. Yet it is said that Ferrari are playing down the links about Horner replacing Vasseur.

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

Those contrasting claims only support the suggestions that there is a split within the Ferrari hierarchy about Horner potentially moving to Maranello in the 2026 F1 season. But Vasseur will only have the full support of the Ferrari board when the Scuderia improve their results.

Ferrari signed Vasseur to a new contract through 2027 back in July to silence the claims that the Frenchman faced an uncertain future. Yet the Scuderia have continued to struggle since, and fears might even be growing in Maranello about Ferrari’s car for the 2026 F1 regulations.