Lewis Hamilton revealed speculation around former Red Bull Team Principal, Christian Horner, joining Ferrari is “distracting”. In Thursday’s press conference ahead of F1 the US GP Hamilton was asked about the speculations and what it means for Ferrari.
“I don’t know where the rumours have come from so I can’t really shed much light on that. But it’s a little bit distracting for us as a team. The team has made it clear where they stand in terms of re-signing Fred [Vasseur],” Hamilton responded.
The rumours about Horner becoming a new addition to the Scuderia team have been swirling since his Red Bull exit. However, with Vasseur signing a new multi-year contract with the team in July, Horner’s potential role is unclear.
The seven-time World Champion continued on to say:
“Fred and I and the whole team are working really hard on the future for the team. These things naturally aren’t helpful.”
Not entertaining rumours
The current Ferrari Team Principal, Fred Vasseur’s, future has been heavily speculated about with the team’s declining performance over the season. Still, both Hamilton and teammate, Charles Leclerc, appear to be supportive of the Frenchman.
Both drivers have worked closely with Vasseur over the years before he took on his role as TP in 2023. The Monegasque having worked with him all the way back in 2016 for GP3 and again in 2018 when he made his F1 debut with Sauber. Similarly, Hamilton’s ties with Vasseur go back to 2005 in the Formula 3 Euro Series.
When asked if he knew if there was any truth behind the team having talks with Horner and if it would be a good idea for him to become Team Principal, the former Champion responded:
“I don’t and I’m not going to entertain rumours.”
The Brit continued on to state:
“I know everybody back at the factory is working incredibly hard, focused, and these sorts of rumours can sometimes be distracting.”
Focused ahead on 2026
As Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari might not be going as expected, the team is facing an uphill battle this season. With the SF-25 proving to be a constant challenge, the team can only hope for improvements next season.
The seven-time World Champion continued on to further explain where his focus is, stating:
“For me, it’s about trying to keep the focus on the goal that’s in front of us and building on next year’s car. Really continuing to build a foundation on this year so that next year we can have better execution and better overall performance.
“As I said back in Spa, just having lots of meetings trying to make sure we’re sailing in the right direction.”
While Ferrari’s season has been disappointing, Hamilton appears focused on building momentum for next year. Additionally, as the Brit continuously expresses his support of Vasseur, speculation that links Horner to Ferrari remains just that.
