Christian Horner makes U-turn over Ferrari move claims Sky F1 expert

Geri Halliwell-Horner and husband Christian Horner in F1 Bahrain paddock 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Christian Horner makes U-turn over Ferrari move claims Sky F1 expert

Horner has changed his tune somewhat

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Wednesday 30 September 2026 08:58

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Christian Horner has done a major U-turn over a potential move to Ferrari according to Sky Sports F1 expert Ted Kravitz.

Late last week Horner dropped a bombshell in the paddock in a newspaper interview as he promoted his upcoming memoir 'Drive'.

In it the 52-year-old Englishman, out of the sport since his sacking by Red Bull in July 2025, said he would forego his stated ambition to own a piece of the next team he works for in just one case. That case was of course Ferrari.

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Horner told The Times that Maranello is "the dream" for anybody in F1, and explained: “At this stage in my life, there’s only one team for which I would accept non-participation in ownership.

"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.”

Horner quotes add to pressure on Vasseur

Those quotes from Horner poured oil on already troubled waters in Italy, with current Scuderia team principal Fred Vasseur under considerable pressure as his team's 2026 bid threatens to peter out.

Recent race weekends have been miserable for Ferrari, with on-track tension between drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc only heaping further scrutiny on Vasseur.

Ferrari even took the unusual step of holding an impromptu media call on Tuesday to say they are standing behind Vasseur, in a bid to end the speculation and rumours swirling around Maranello. In truth, it is a strategy which is unlikely to succeed.

Vasseur is under significant pressure at Maranello.

Kravitz surprised by Horner 'come and get me' plea

Horner's apparent 'come and get me' plea to Ferrari was a major surprise to some in the paddock, notably pit lane reporter Kravitz, who spoke in depth about the blockbusting storyline during his Azerbaijan Grand Prix Qualifying Notebook.

Kravitz believes this new Horner stance represents a significant change of heart, as he had previously turned down the job at Maranello.

"He's doing a load of publicity for his book, and in that, he's given an interview to the Times newspaper. And in that interview, he's essentially put a big sign on the front of his book thing, saying, 'Read my book, and by the way, Ferrari, I'd like to be your team principal'," said Kravitz.

"So having having said thanks, but no thanks to Ferrari team principal in the past when he was offered it a few years ago, and then they got Fred Vasseur, he's now said that the only team that he would not consider joining without equity, without taking a stake in the team, is Ferrari because 'Ferrari is the dream'.

"So Christian Horner appears to have changed his tune somewhat."

Kravitz was clearly surprised by the quotes attributed to Horner describing the apparent U-turn as "unusual".

This is not just a work decision for Horner as Kravitz pointed out - he currently lives with Spice Girl wife Geri Horner Halliwell Horner and their family in a £9.2million mansion in leafy Oxfordshire. It is also a major lifestyle change.

Would the Horners move to Italy?

"I guess he'd have to move to Italy, or maybe he doesn't want to, or maybe he commutes, or maybe he'd WFH. Can you be Ferrari team principal and work from home? Not sure. I think you'd probably have to move to Italy.

"But yeah, he now seems to be saying, as perhaps you might say, that other opportunities have not materialised for him to come back and be a team principal. That he would indeed, after all, like to be Ferrari team principal."

Sending a message to Elkann

Kravitz also speculated about the timing of Horner's statement. As well as being a beautiful job of promoting that soon-to-be-released book, it also comes just as the pressure on Vasseur is growing significantly.

"Christian is clearly sending a message to John Elkann [Ferrari chairman] saying, if you still want me, I am available and keen now to be the Ferrari team principal if you decide that Fred Vasseur is not the way you want to go," concluded Kravitz.

Written by

Graham Shaw - Consultant Editor

Digital sports leader with 30 years of senior level experience running global brands. Built sportinglife.com to be a behemoth in the UK as well as being in charge of the Planet Sport network of sites including planetf1.com, football365.com, teamtalk.com and planetrugby.com. Then grew goal.com to be the world's biggest soccer website in 18 languages and 37 territories. Was GM of Portals for Perform Group (now DAZN) with overall responsibility for sportingnews.com, spox.de and voetbalzone.nl.

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