Ferrari confirm Fred Vasseur decision in emergency call with F1 media

Fred Vasseur, Ferrari, Australia, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

Ferrari F1

Ferrari confirm Fred Vasseur decision in emergency call with F1 media

Vasseur has the team's full backing heading to Malaysia

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson F1 Editor

Motorsport journalist covering F1 since 2024

Tuesday 29 September 2026 20:45

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Ferrari have publicly given their backing to current team boss Fred Vasseur in an emergency media call ahead of this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

The move comes after increasing scrutiny on Vasseur and his position as team principal during the last month, with Lewis Hamilton's title hopes having fallen apart due to Ferrari's lack of speed, intra-team tension between Hamilton and Leclerc, and Christian Horner having seemingly thrown his hat into the ring for the position.

Horner has been linked with a return to the F1 paddock ever since his sacking by Red Bull in July 2025, but an obstacle has reportedly been his desire to own a part of a team. However, he has now suggested he'd be willing to forego that demand to lead Ferrari.

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“At this stage in my life, there’s only one team for which I would accept non-participation in ownership,” Horner told The Times.

"Would I consider Ferrari? I mean, Ferrari is the biggest brand in Formula 1. It’s the dream. And arguably it’s the sleeping giant of Formula 1.”

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Ferrari confirm Fred Vasseur stance on media call

Those comments surfaced ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Vasseur was repeatedly questioned about Horner and his comments.

After a disappointing outing for the team - P4 for Leclerc, P6 for Hamilton - Vasseur even admitted that he was 'frustrated' of having to answer questions about the former Red Bull boss.

Those questions were only going to continue heading to Malaysia for the Bahrain Grand Prix, but Ferrari have tried to stop the speculation in its tracks in a media call ahead of the race.

Maria Conti, Ferrari's chief communications officer, reaffirmed the team's commitment to Vasseur, with the 58-year-old Frenchman retaining the full support of the Scuderia's top brass.

"In the recent days, there has been increasing speculation surrounding Scuderia Ferrari HP, and particularly dedicated to its leadership," Conti said.

"Ferrari's position is clear, has not changed, and Ferrari has made its choices already, and we have full confidence in Fred Vasseur and in his team, and we continue to do so."

Conti continued, stating that the media call was not simply in response to the Horner speculation, but to the increased scrutiny that Vasseur has been under in recent weeks.

'This is not just about Horner' - Ferrari

"Ferrari has always attracted extraordinary interest, and it is only natural that many professionals aspire to be part of it," she continued.

"It is a reflection of the strength of what Ferrari really represents. So this is why we really want to avoid and we do not intend to fuel speculation or comment on assumptions coming from outside the company.

"And it is not just related to the story in The Times of Mr Horner," Conti added.

"But in general, there is a lot of speculation about Fred. "So again, we have confidence in Fred Vasseur and his team, and we continue to do so. And the position is clear, but not just now, we already confirmed in the past."

Christian Horner recently suggested he would return to F1 to work for Ferrari

Full focus on Malaysia for Ferrari

"Our focus now is on the work," Conti concluded.

"We would like to be focused on the future. And this is always the Ferrari spirit and the spirit of our founder - humility and complete focus on the future.

"We are doing that today because we would like to avoid the next weekend in Malaysia being focused only on this kind of gossip and speculation.

"We would like to be focused on the race, on the performance, on the team, on Fred."

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Simmey Hannifin Donaldson - F1 Editor

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