Ferrari tipped to steer clear of signing Christian Horner: 'They don’t want distractions'

F1 legend Riccardo Patrese is adamant Ferrari won’t pursue Christian Horner as a potential team principal in the future.

Horner was sacked by Red Bull last week in a shock move by the team’s ownership, ending his reign as team boss since the squad's inception in 2005.

The Briton oversaw Red Bull’s two dominant eras in F1 - first with Sebastian Vettel in the early 2010s and more recently with Max Verstappen.

However, a decline in on-track performance, several high-profile departures, and concern that Horner had gained too much autonomy ultimately led to his dismissal.

Unsurprisingly, speculation around Horner’s next move has already begun.

A potential link-up with Flavio Briatore at Alpine has been suggested.

Ferrari, meanwhile, have previously expressed interest in Horner - and with Fred Vasseur under pressure, rumours naturally resurfaced.

But Patrese believes Ferrari will steer clear to protect their brand image.

“There has been a lot of criticism of [Ferrari] because of the results, and they are up and down with no consistency,” Patrese told OnlineSlots.

“But after the storms and tornadoes at Ferrari, I think the air is getting better. At the moment, everything is quiet around Vasseur - the speculation has stopped.”

“Horner is very good, but I think the stories from last year would be a problem. He has a very good pedigree and can put 20 years of success on the table - but one year on, people are still talking about that story.”

“I’m a friend of Christian and sent him a message of support - I think he’s a very good team principal.

“But Ferrari wants to have an image - and not many distractions. That’s my opinion.”

Newey departure a key factor

Adrian Newey’s exit coincided with Red Bull’s downturn in form during the 2025 season.

The team won seven of the opening 10 races with Max Verstappen, but managed just two victories across the remaining 14 rounds.

Patrese believes Red Bull’s struggles stem from failing to adequately replace the legendary designer.

“You can’t blame Horner for everything. The problem, from my point of view, is that Adrian Newey left,” he said.

“If you bring in a replacement, they can’t be the same as Adrian - he’s an outstanding engineer. Over the last 30 years, his cars have basically won everything.

“I don’t know why they lost him. I understood Adrian was always very well connected with Horner. I think they are friends.”