Ferrari have once again affirmed their "full confidence" in team principal Frederic Vasseur, dismissing the swirling speculation about his future that was sparked by comments from Christian Horner. The Italian racing giant made it clear that it has "made its choices" regarding who should steer the Scuderia’s Formula 1 programme. Vasseur himself acknowledged after Saturday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix that the team was "not working in perfect serenity" because of the persistent and "frustrating" rumours surrounding his role at the outfit.
Those whispers grew louder last week when The Times published an interview with former Red Bull boss Christian Horner. In that piece Horner said that Ferrari was the only team he would consider returning to the pit wall for – but only if he could do so without taking an ownership stake, which he has said is a priority for any potential comeback to the sport. In an unusual move, Ferrari called a hastily organised media briefing on Tuesday morning, just before the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, to put the matter to rest. A spokesperson for the marque reiterated that the company’s stance was "clear and unchanged" and that it continues to place its trust in Vasseur and his staff.
"Ferrari's position is clear and unchanged," the spokesperson said. "Ferrari has made its choices and has full confidence in the leadership of Fred Vasseur and his team, and we will continue to do so." The spokesperson added that the Scuderia "has always attracted interest; it is a reflection of what Ferrari represents".
The statement was intended to "avoid gossip and speculation in Malaysia and focus on the weekend", according to the team’s communications office. The spokesperson also noted that the briefing was a response not only to Horner’s interview but also to a series of follow‑up stories that have kept the rumor mill turning.
Vasseur is now entering his fourth season at the helm, having taken over from Sauber at the start of 2023 and signing a multi‑year extension last year. When asked whether Vasseur still enjoys the backing of Ferrari chairman John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna, and whether he will remain in his role for the remainder of his contract, the spokesperson simply repeated the same message: "Ferrari's position is clear and unchanged.
Ferrari has made its choices, it has confidence in Fred Vasseur and we continue to do so." After a disappointing 2025 campaign in which Ferrari failed to win a race and fell to fourth place in the Constructors' Championship, Vasseur has overseen a dramatic turnaround. This season the team has already secured two victories and sits second in the Constructors' standings. However, the challenge to Mercedes for the world championship has softened in recent months, and the Scuderia has not reached the podium in the last five races.
In the Drivers' Championship, Lewis Hamilton currently occupies third place, trailing Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Hamilton’s title hopes were effectively ended after the Italian Grand Prix in September, where he finished sixth while driving for Ferrari. In Baku last week, Charles Leclerc finished fourth and Hamilton sixth, leaving Ferrari 160 points behind the championship leaders Mercedes. Yet a McLaren failure to score any points in that race allowed Ferrari to widen its gap over the reigning champions to 72 points.
With eight races remaining on the calendar, Ferrari must aim to preserve its current championship positions. Hamilton has stressed that a top‑three finish in the Drivers' standings would still be a "huge achievement" given the difficulties the team faced last season. The upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix marks Formula 1’s return to Malaysia for the first time since 2017, with the race taking place at the Sepang International Circuit.
Fans can watch the action live on Sky Sports F1 or stream it via NOW, which offers a flexible, cancel‑anytime subscription. Overall, Ferrari’s message is unequivocal: the team stands behind Frederic Vasseur, dismisses external speculation, and will focus on delivering performance on the track for the remainder of the season.