Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has opened the door to a Formula 1 return with Ferrari, admitting the Italian team is the only outfit he would consider joining without having an ownership stake.
Horner, who left Red Bull in 2025 after more than two decades with the team, had previously indicated that any return to Formula 1 would need to involve a degree of ownership. However, speaking to The Times, the 51-year-old revealed that Ferrari would be an exception.
“I was an employee. I spent 21 years sitting on the pit wall. I don’t need to go back to that,” Horner said.
“At this stage of my life, there’s only one team I would accept not being a co-owner of. That’s Scuderia Ferrari.”
Horner calls Ferrari the “dream”
Horner’s comments represent a significant change in his previously stated ambitions and immediately place Ferrari at the centre of speculation surrounding his future.
“Would I consider Ferrari? I mean, Ferrari is the biggest brand in Formula 1. It’s the dream. And you could say it’s the sleeping giant of Formula 1,” Horner said.
Ferrari is currently led by Fred Vasseur, who has faced repeated questions about the team’s performance and his position during the 2026 season.
Horner’s remarks came as Ferrari continues to search for improved competitiveness against McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull. At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc finished fourth while Lewis Hamilton crossed the line sixth.
Despite the pressure, Vasseur remains focused on improving Ferrari’s technical package rather than discussing his own future.
“You can upgrade the chassis and find the pace again. With the engine, it’s much more time-consuming and difficult,” Vasseur said in Baku.
“Next year we’ll certainly have a better package, but we have to survive until the end of the season with what we have.”
Vasseur responds to Horner speculation
Horner’s Ferrari comments were subsequently put to Vasseur, who appeared frustrated by the continued questions surrounding his team and the former Red Bull boss.
“Christian Horner has been looking for a job for some time now. Ultimately, things are the way they are. It’s not easy to work in this atmosphere and have to answer the same questions 25 times a day – for me and for everyone on the team,” Vasseur told Sky.
The Ferrari team principal added: “This naturally takes away some of the peace and naturally affects the substance.”
Vasseur’s comments do not indicate that Ferrari is considering Horner, but they underline how closely the former Red Bull boss’s comments are now being linked with the Italian team.
Horner insists there is still demand for him
Horner departed Red Bull in 2025 after 21 years in charge, during which the team won multiple constructors’ and drivers’ championships with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.
His departure followed a period of internal turmoil and a wider sporting decline at Red Bull. Earlier, Horner had faced allegations from a female employee who claimed she had been treated unfairly. An internal investigation subsequently cleared him of the allegations.
Horner had also sought greater influence within Red Bull over the years. Following the death of company co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, however, the organisation ultimately pursued a different direction.
Despite being away from Formula 1 for more than a year, Horner believes the continued interest in his future demonstrates that his reputation within the sport remains significant.
“I think the fact that people are still talking about me 14 months after my retirement from the sport shows that there is still a demand. Maybe I wasn’t so unpopular after all,” Horner said.
For now, there is no indication that Ferrari has offered Horner a role. His comments nevertheless establish Ferrari as a clear exception to the ownership requirement he had previously attached to any potential Formula 1 comeback.
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