Ferrari have once again affirmed their "full confidence" in team principal Frédéric Vasseur, pushing back against the swirl of speculation that has surrounded his future since Christian Horner hinted at an interest in the role. The Italian racing powerhouse made it clear that its decisions regarding the leadership of the F1 squad are settled and that Vasseur remains firmly in charge. Vasseur himself acknowledged after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last Saturday that the team was "not operating in perfect serenity" due to the relentless and "frustrating" rumours about his tenure at the Scuderia. Those whispers intensified after an interview with Horner was published in The Times, where the former Red Bull team boss said Ferrari was the only team he would consider returning to the pit wall for, provided he did not have to take an ownership stake – a condition he has been emphasizing for any potential comeback to Formula 1.
In an unusual move, Ferrari organised a hastily‑arranged media briefing on Tuesday morning, just before the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, to address the growing chatter. A Ferrari spokesperson stated unequivocally that the company continues to have complete faith in Vasseur’s leadership of the F1 operation. "Ferrari's position is clear and unchanged," the spokesperson said. "Ferrari has made its choices and has full confidence in the leadership of Frédéric Vasseur and his team, and we will continue to support them." The spokesperson added that the statement was intended to counter not only the piece featuring Horner in The Times but also a series of subsequent stories that have been proliferating rather than dying down.
"Ferrari has always attracted interest – it reflects what the brand represents. We are saying this today to curb gossip and speculation in Malaysia and keep the focus on the weekend’s racing," the spokesperson explained. Vasseur is now in his fourth season at the helm of the Scuderia, having taken over from Sauber at the start of 2023 and signing a multi‑year extension last year. When asked whether he still enjoys the full backing of Ferrari chairman John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna, and whether he will remain in his post for the remainder of his contract, the spokesperson reiterated the same message: "Ferrari's position is clear and unchanged.
Ferrari has made its choices, it has confidence in Frédéric Vasseur and we continue to do so." After a disappointing 2025 campaign in which Ferrari failed to win a single race and slipped to fourth in the Constructors' Championship, Vasseur has overseen a remarkable turnaround. This season the team has already claimed two victories and sits second in the Constructors' standings, narrowing the gap to the dominant Mercedes outfit. However, the championship fight has lost some of its momentum in recent weeks, as Ferrari have not reached the podium in the last five races.
In the Drivers' Championship, Lewis Hamilton currently occupies third place behind Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Hamilton’s title aspirations have been effectively extinguished after a sixth‑place finish at the Italian Grand Prix in September, a race that underscored Ferrari's lingering difficulties despite the earlier resurgence.
At the recent Baku race, Charles Leclerc finished fourth while Hamilton came home sixth, leaving Ferrari 160 points adrift of the leaders at Mercedes. Nonetheless, a mis‑fire from third‑placed McLaren – which failed to score any points – allowed Ferrari to extend their advantage over the reigning champions to 72 points, keeping them within striking distance. With eight races remaining on the calendar, Ferrari must now focus on preserving or improving their current championship positions.
Hamilton has stressed that securing a top‑three finish in the Drivers' standings would still be a "huge achievement" for the team, given the challenges they faced last season. The upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix marks Formula 1's return to Malaysia for the first time since 2017, with the event taking place at the Sepang International Circuit. Fans can watch the live action on Sky Sports F1, streamed via NOW without a long‑term contract and with the option to cancel at any time. Overall, Ferrari’s decisive communication aims to shut down speculation and keep the team’s attention on performance rather than off‑track rumors.
By reaffirming their support for Vasseur, the Scuderia hopes to maintain stability within the garage, allowing engineers, drivers, and staff to concentrate on extracting the maximum from their cars as the season reaches its decisive phase.