Lewis Hamilton exit warning issued as Ferrari fears divulged

Ferrari have been warned that they risk losing F1 legend Lewis Hamilton should they decide to make a drastic change to their team structure.

F1 pundit and Drive to Survive star Will Buxton divulged his fears that if the Scuderia were to sack team principal Fred Vasseur, they could risk Hamilton exiting the team.

Speaking amid discussions over whether Christian Horner could end up at the Scuderia following his departure from Red Bull earlier this week, Buxton gave his thoughts on the surprising rumours.

Horner's two-decade tenure with the Milton Keynes-based outfit came to an abrupt end on Wednesday morning, with Laurent Mekies announced as his successor.

However, Buxton is confident that it won't be long before Horner is back in the paddock, but doubts Ferrari would be a likely landing spot, despite the fact that the position of current team principal Vasseur is believed to be in jeopardy.

Admitting he fears any such change wouldn't go down well with seven-time champion Hamilton, Buxton told The Sports Agents Podcast: "I can't imagine this is the last that we will see or hear of Christian Horner."

"There have been rumours already this year that he was being courted by Alpine, rumours linking him to Ferrari.

"I think that one's more of a stretch than the Alpine one. He's very close with Flavio Briatore. That one would seem to be more logical for me.

"If they replaced Fred with Christian Horner, I don't think Lewis would be a Ferrari driver for much longer!"

Could Horner lead Red Bull rival comeback?

Alpine may not be held in the same esteem as either Red Bull or Ferrari, but they offer an intriguing option for Horner to consider should he seek a quick return to the sport.

Without a permanent team principal following the departure of Oliver Oakes, there is a vacant spot waiting to be filled at the team Horner once considered rivals, and getting him on board would be a huge coup for the struggling outfit.

Alpine currently sit bottom of the constructors' championship, with Pierre Gasly delivering every one of their 19 points from the season so far.

With a change in regulations coming in 2026 - and with Alpine set to switch to a Mercedes engine - Horner could be at the forefront of a promising new era for the squad.

The Sports Agents is available to listen to now on Global Player, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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