Ferrari chief issues statement as Christian Horner linked with stunning F1 return

Ferrari chairman John Elkann has issued a statement in response to rumors linking former Red Bull chief Christian Horner with a switch to the Italian team.

After being axed by Red Bull from his role as CEO and team principal in July and officially departing in September, Horner has been linked with an F1 return with several teams on the grid, the latest of which are Ferrari. According to the Daily Mail, Elkann is 'courting' Horner.

Ferrari’s current team principal, Fred Vasseur, signed a contract extension in July, with the Frenchman secured with a multi-year deal as he leads the Scuderia into their next set of regulations in 2026.

However, there was speculation over his future before that, with the team having taken a clear step backwards in 2025 compared to last season, when they challenged for the constructors' championship until the very last race.

READ MORE: F1 legend makes major Christian Horner return revelation

John Elkann addresses Christian Horner reports

The above speculation ahead of this weekend's US Grand Prix has now prompted a response from Elkann, who reaffirmed his confidence in Vasseur speaking in Washington DC at an event for the National Italian American Foundation.

"I want to express our full confidence in our team principal, Fred Vasseur, and in the work he is carrying out together with all our colleagues at Scuderia Ferrari – the mechanics, engineers, and drivers competing this weekend in Austin," Elkann said.

"I also want to reaffirm the importance of teamwork by everyone to maintain focus on the only goal that matters: always giving our very best on the track."

What have Hamilton and Leclerc said?

Ferrari stars Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will start Sunday's US Grand Prix in third and fifth, respectively, after a pair of decent qualifying performances in high Texas temperatures.

Both drivers have also issued separate responses to the Horner links ahead of the action. Hamilton, for example, claimed that the news was 'distracting for the team', whwhilsteclerc insisted he wasn't paying any attention to the speculation.

"It is a little bit distracting for us as a team," Hamilton admitted to the media in Austin. "The team have made it clear where they stand in terms of re-signing Fred [Vasseur].

"Fred and the whole team are working really hard on a future for the team."

Leclerc said: “It's not something that you want to read. We are fully focused on what we want to do, and it's not something that I pay attention to].

"I just try and ignore that completely and focus on my job and I think that's also what the team is doing.

"It's never nice to hear those kind of things and see those things going around the team."

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