As The Race reports, Christian Horner had to clear the air regarding wild speculation that connected him to the Ferrari Formula 1 team principal role. The whole storm kicked off because of an interview Horner conducted with The Times, which took place before Ferrari's tricky home race at Monza in September. During that conversation, Horner called Ferrari the biggest brand in Formula 1, the dream, and a sleeping giant. The timing could not have been worse.
That interview was actually done about a month in advance of its publication and featured a chat with a pleasant chap who was a big Lewis Hamilton fan and not from the industry. Horner explained that he was simply trying to show respect for a historic squad and how drivers hold it in huge esteem, noting that anybody working there would see it as a privilege. Unfortunately, the headline ran with the phrase 'Ferrari is my dream', which Horner never actually said. It collided with whatever was happening in their world around Monza or Madrid, creating a massive media storm.
The pressure on Fred Vasseur got so intense that it even led to a remarkable Ferrari press conference just to quash the speculation and publicly declare confidence in their boss. Appearing on The Race F1 Podcast, Horner admitted he felt genuine sympathy for the situation. Having led a high-pressure team himself, he knew exactly what was involved when two and two came together and added up to six.
When asked directly if he would consider the top job at Ferrari given the right control, Horner pointed out that everyone would love to see them win again, noting they had a great chassis this year even if they looked a bit behind on engine power. That said, he is perhaps more focused on other options. While acknowledging that being associated with Ferrari is a great honour, he made it clear it is not something he is petitioning for.
Horner wrapped up by emphasizing that stability is crucial, noting he has sat across the table from maybe six or seven team principals during his time at Red Bull, going back from Jean Todt up to Fred. He added that Ferrari carries a unique pressure as essentially a national team that others do not face, backing Vasseur as a very capable operator with a great pedigree in lower forms of racing who probably just needs more time.
