Vasseur refuses new Ferrari role under team principal Horner

After yet another disappointing weekend for Ferrari, the questions directed at Fred Vasseur were hardly surprising. With speculation surrounding his position – or, more specifically, his potential dismissal – dominating the weekend, the usually affable Frenchman was once again asked whether he was concerned about his future. Vasseur sighed, looked visibly irritated, and then launched into a passionate response about the media's role in fuelling the speculation.

The essence of his message was that most of the commotion was coming from outside Ferrari, while those inside the team were focused on improving performance. He then mentioned Christian Horner, who said in a British newspaper last week that he would be very open to becoming Ferrari team principal. " Mr. Horner is looking for a job, everybody knows, everywhere," Vasseur said.

So does Vasseur really have nothing to worry about regarding his position? Quite the opposite, GPblog understands. It would reportedly come as a major surprise if the experienced team principal were still at the helm of the Italian Formula 1 team in 2027. Should Horner be appointed, as many Ferrari fans hope, there would in any case be no alternative role for Vasseur.

Asked whether he could see himself working alongside Horner, Vasseur gave a telling response: "You have to ask my assistant." In other words, his assistant might be willing to work under the former Red Bull Racing team principal, but Vasseur certainly would not.

It is far from certain, however, that Horner would actually join Ferrari if Vasseur were to leave. The Italian team generally expects its team principal to live close to Maranello, but would Horner be willing to relocate? There are also several other candidates being mentioned, including Jérôme D’Ambrosio, Vasseur's current deputy.

Antonello Coletta's name has also been mentioned. The Italian currently heads Ferrari's World Endurance Championship operation. Ferrari's WEC team has endured a difficult season, while Coletta has no Formula 1 experience. However, few know the inner workings of Ferrari better than he does, having spent almost 30 years with the Italian manufacturer. GPblog, however, understands that Coletta is not at the top of Ferrari's list of candidates.