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Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believed that it would be “wrong” for Christian Horner to join Ferrari. A leadership change before the 2026 Formula 1 regulations come into force is not ideal, despite ongoing speculation linking him with a move to Maranello.In an exclusive interview, Steiner said that Horner’s name would naturally surface amid rumors of potential vacancies at Ferrari, but insisted that the Scuderia must stay patient with current team boss Frédéric Vasseur. Horner, who left earlier this year after reaching a £50 million settlement, has reportedly been in talks with several teams about a possible return to the paddock in 2026.Horner’s 19-year tenure at Red Bull ended in July when the team announced Racing Bulls chief Laurent Mekies as his replacement. The change coincided with a resurgence in form for the reigning world champions. Since Mekies took over, they have scored 174 points in eight rounds, compared to just 172 points in the 12 races prior. Max Verstappen climbed back into title contention, narrowing a 104-point deficit to just 35.Despite Christian Horner’s departure, Steiner felt that Ferrari should resist making a similar shake-up.“I don’t know where Christian is going,” Steiner said, via casino.org. “I think he wants to return to F1 because that is what he likes most in his life. My opinion on Ferrari is that it’s a very difficult company to run.”Ferrari has had an underwhelming campaign in 2025 and has yet to win a race. The Italian team is in second in the Constructors’ standings but is under increasing pressure from Red Bull and Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton, in his first season with the Scuderia outfit, is still chasing his first podium in red, while rumors surrounding Charles Leclerc’s long-term future continue to swirl.Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur and Christian Horner at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Source: GettySteiner added that Vasseur, who was given a contract extension earlier this year, should be given time to see through 2026.“I think Fred will get a bit more time and the entirety of 2026 with the complete new rules,” he continued. “If they are not competitive next year, I think something will happen there. It would be wrong now to put somebody new in right now. The new regulations are going to be challenging for everyone, and Ferrari will have had 2026 in mind for a long time.”Earlier this season, Lewis Hamilton had also made it clear that he was “not going to entertain rumours,” given their fierce rivalry during the Mercedes–Red Bull title battles from 2021 onwards - a dynamic that makes a Ferrari–Christian Horner partnership even less likely.Martin Brundle praises Laurent Mekies’ leadership amid Christian Horner return rumorsChristian Horner and Martin Brundle at Yas Marina Circuit on December 5, 2024. Source: GettyFormer F1 driver and Sky Sports analyst Martin Brundle believed that Christian Horner might not even want to return as team principal, as the sport was shifting toward a new kind of leadership model.“Very impressed and he’s handling it in a very mature way,” Brundle said of Mekies on The Sky Sports F1 Show. (39:41 onwards) “Ego, absolutely non-existent, parked. We’re seeing a new type of team principal these days, aren’t we? That’s why Christian wouldn’t want to come back as a team principal.”Brundle added that the new generation of F1 leaders has deep technical and engineering backgrounds and is reshaping the management culture in the grid.Laurent Mekies, a former race engineer and FIA deputy director, has leaned on collaboration with Helmut Marko and other senior figures to guide Red Bull through a crucial transitional phase before the 2026 regulations. Other teams have followed similar trends.Haas promoted Ayao Komatsu from trackside engineering director to team principal, Sauber appointed former Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, and Racing Bulls hired Alan Permane, who previously served as Alpine’s chief engineer.
