Horner a distraction for Ferrari says Vasseur

Frederic Vasseur says Christian Horner is proving a distraction for Ferrari by “looking for a job.” Horner, dismissed as Red Bull team principal in July 2025, told the Times this week that Ferrari is the sole Formula 1 outfit he would consider joining without a shareholding, describing it as “the dream.” Vasseur voiced his irritation after Saturday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Charles Leclerc finished fourth and teammate Lewis Hamilton came sixth. He said: “We are not moving successful the cleanable serenity.” “For me, first, but for everybody successful the team, for the media, for 50% of the questions [to be] astir this, it's a spot of a frustrating situation.” “We are warring for P3 [third place] successful the championship, and astatine the extremity of the day, we are each speaking a batch astir this, and adjacent for the guys successful the garage, to sermon astir this, it's the champion treatment that we tin have.” “But it is what it is, it's not successful my hands. Mr Horner is looking for a occupation - that everybody knows - everywhere. But what tin I do? Just effort to bash my champion to propulsion the team, to emergence them to beryllium motivated, absorption connected what is amended today.” When asked whether he was joking about Horner, Vasseur replied: “I was precise serious.” On the possibility of working with Horner again, he said: “This you person to inquire my assistant.” The comment appears to reference the circumstances of Horner’s departure from Red Bull in July 2025. Horner was accused of intersexual harassment and coercive, controlling behaviour by a female employee. The allegation became nationalist in February 2024, but the accusations were dismissed by Red Bull after two internal investigations. He was fired from his role as chief executive officer and team principal by Red Bull following the 2025 British Grand Prix. That decision followed a turbulent 18‑month period after the employee’s allegations, during which several senior team figures departed, including chief technical officer Adrian Newey, and the team’s form slumped. Red Bull has never issued a public explanation for Horner’s dismissal. The two parties agreed on a settlement said by sources to be worth 60 million euros (£51.5 million). Ferrari entered the season hoping to be title contenders after the introduction of new chassis and engine regulations. Although the car was praised as the best in the corners at the outset, its power unit has lagged behind those of Mercedes and Red Bull. That shortfall was evident on the long straights of the Baku circuit, where Leclerc slipped back in the race after qualifying second. Vasseur remarked on Saturday: “With the concern that we are successful the engine, we are losing 1 presumption per lap, and past we suffer the way of the race.” “Honestly we were amazed to be successful the archetypal row, due to the fact that Baku is the astir demanding successful presumption of engine, and was not expecting to bash so. But we knew adjacent starting from the archetypal enactment that the opening laps, oregon successful lawsuit of restarting information car and so, it would be difficult. And it was.” Asked whether he remains committed to his role at Ferrari, Vasseur said: “Motorsport is my life, it's my business. I'm trying to bash my best. I'm determination to bash my job. I person the champion occupation successful the world, heh. But, it is similar it is. We person inactive 7 races to go, and I volition propulsion until the past corner.” Ferrari has not won a championship since 2008 and has rarely fielded a fully competitive car since that time. In his Times interview, Horner said: “Would I see Ferrari? I mean, Ferrari is the biggest marque successful Formula