Horner

The seven-time champion is a supporter of Vasseur, who was instrumental in signing him.

Speaking during the drivers’ news conference before this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, Hamilton said: “It is a little bit distracting for us as a team. The team have made it clear where they stand in terms of re-signing Fred.

“Fred and the whole team are working really hard on a future for the team.”

Vasseur’s contract was due to expire at the end of this season, but it was renewed just two and a half months ago.

Ferrari tend not to comment on stories about the future of the team, considering it media speculation.

But when reports linking Horner to the team first emerged in the summer, Ferrari used channels to communicate to the media that there was no truth in the claim. The company’s position has not changed since.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said Horner had “approached” the US-based team but added: “Nothing has gone any further. It is finished.”

Alpine managing director Steve Nielsen said the French team’s executive adviser and de facto boss Flavio Briatore was “old friends” with Horner.

Nielsen added: “I don’t know what they talk about. Everything I know is there are no plans for Christian to come to Alpine but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.”

Williams team principal James Vowles said Horner had not approached them.

“We’re very happy with the structure we have and it’s working,” Vowles said. “I don’t see any reason to change from that.”

Horner is free to return to F1 by the middle of next year after finalising a severance package with Red Bull on 22 September.

The 51-year-old was fired as Red Bull team principal after the British Grand Prix in July.

Multiple sources at Red Bull have told BBC Sport the settlement package was worth 60m euros (£52m).

CHRISTIAN HORNER has been warned that a Formula One return with Aston Martin would “not work”.

Horner, 51, was handed a whopping £80million payout for leaving Red Bull Racing after he was sacked as team principal in July and replaced by Laurent Mekies.

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But the ex-F1 chief, formerly the longest-serving team boss in the paddock with 20 years of service which yielded 14 drivers and constructors titles, is already plotting a way back into the sport after it was revealed he was “missing” it.

Horner’s payout was less than the £110m he could have had for the full duration of his deal which had run to 2030.

But SunSport understands taking the lower offer means he is free to return to F1 as early as spring 2026.

A number of teams have been linked to Horner, including Haas, Alpine, Ferrari and Aston Martin, as he looks to also buy into a team as a co-owner.

The latter of these teams recruited Horner’s former Red Bull ally, Adrian Newey, after 19 years working together at the Milton Keynes-based team.

Design chief Newey, 66, is said to be getting “very little sleep” in his new role as Managing Technical Partner at Aston since starting on March 1 this year.

However, former Haas boss and Drive to Survive fan favourite Guenther Steiner has claimed reuniting the pair at the team’s Silverstone base would not work.

Steiner, 60, told Lottoland: “In the last year the problem between Adrian and Christian was one of the reasons why Adrian left Red Bull.

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“So, bringing Christian back, I don’t think that would work at the moment.”

He continued: “I don’t think Aston Martin need Christian right now.

“I think there was a lot of unhappiness internally, and something had to change.

“The change was Christian leaving, and they are just trying to go back to their glory days now.

“With Red Bull, we could see it during the last one-and-a-half years where every race weekend there was drama, and that has gone away.

“I think Aston Martin with the people they have in place are very well set to show what they can do under the new regulations.”

Steiner also joked he had “sent my bank details and asked him to send me some of the money” when speaking about Horner’s mega payout.

Red Bull have enjoyed an upturn in form with Max Verstappen winning the last two races in Italy and Azerbaijan.

With the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, the flying Dutchman is looking to add the track to his list of wins for the first time in his career.

If Verstappen, who turned 28 today, wins the street race he will have won a race at every circuit on the 2025 calendar across his F1 career.

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On 9 July the team announced Horner had been “released from his operational duties”.

He was dismissed after a controversial 18 months that started when a female employee accused him of sexual harassment, an allegation that was made public in February 2024.

Horner was twice cleared of the claims, firstly after an internal investigation conducted by a lawyer, then by another lawyer who dismissed the complainant’s appeal.

In a statement on Monday Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull’s chief executive officer corporate projects and investments, thanked Horner for his “exceptional work”.

He added: “With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1.”

Horner said in the same statement that leading Red Bull had been “an honour and a privilege”.

More to follow.