Ferrari are reportedly preparing contingency plans for a possible successor to team principal Fred Vasseur, although reports from Italy suggest that former Red Bull boss Christian Horner is not guaranteed to take over.
Vasseur, 58, is facing increasing uncertainty over his position as Ferrari’s 2026 campaign continues to fall short of expectations. Earlier in the summer, the situation at Maranello looked considerably more positive. Ferrari appeared to be closing the gap to the dominant Mercedes package, while Lewis Hamilton had emerged as a potential challenger for a record-breaking eighth world championship.
Hamilton’s victory in Barcelona and Charles Leclerc’s triumph at Silverstone had given Ferrari two wins in three races. At that stage, Hamilton was only 32 points behind Kimi Antonelli in the championship standings, raising hopes that the Italian team could mount a serious title challenge.
However, Ferrari’s momentum has since disappeared, with disappointing performances on track accompanied by increasing tension within the team.
The relationship between Hamilton and Leclerc has reportedly become a major talking point, adding further pressure on Vasseur. Ferrari’s inability to maintain its earlier progress has seen its championship ambitions fade, while internal disagreements have attracted greater attention.
Hamilton has also publicly questioned Ferrari’s approach to managing the relationship between its two drivers, particularly the lack of clearly defined “rules of engagement.” Those comments have inevitably placed additional scrutiny on Vasseur’s leadership.
With Ferrari’s season failing to match the expectations created earlier in the campaign, speculation over the future of the team principal is now intensifying. Horner has been linked with the position, but Italian reports indicate that Ferrari may be considering several possibilities rather than simply preparing to hand the role to the former Red Bull chief.
For Vasseur, the coming weeks could therefore prove crucial as Ferrari look to restore stability and rediscover the competitiveness that briefly made them genuine championship contenders.
