LEWIS HAMILTON MEETS HORNER AMID FERRARI TALK AND TENSE RELATIONS
Could Christian Horner be Lewis Hamilton's next boss at Ferrari? Reports link the ex-Red Bull chief to the role, reviving a complex relationship from their 2005 meeting to the 2021 rivalry.
Amid rumours that Christian Horner, the former Red Bull team principal, may become Lewis Hamilton's next boss at Ferrari, the two have a complex relationship.
Horner and Red Bull have reached an arrangement that allows Horner to return to the Formula One paddock the following year.
Aston Martin, Alpine, and Haas are among the teams that have been linked to the 51-year-old, who was fired by Red Bull in July. Furthermore, there is still conjecture that Horner and Ferrari are related.
According to the Daily Mail, Ferrari chairman John Elkann is still interested in bringing Horner to the club to replace current manager Frederic Vasseur, who is being questioned in the wake of the Prancing Horse's disastrous 2025 season. Horner has previously had talks with the Italian team.
Given their icy relationship, Hamilton and Horner on the same team would make for an interesting dynamic. Twenty years ago, while Hamilton was making his way up the single-seater ranks, the two first met.
At the time, Horner was in charge of Arden, a company that oversaw teams in feeder classes, including GP2 and GP3 (now Formula 2 and Formula 3). The two parted ways after that encounter, which was not a huge success.
Before joining McLaren in Formula One the next year, Hamilton competed in GP2 for his current employer, Vasseur, in 2006. In the meantime, Horner secured the top position at Red Bull, joining Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen as constructors and drivers.
Hamilton was gushing with appreciation when asked about Horner's departure from Red Bull and his achievements in the sport earlier this year, recalling an awkward conversation between the two. "The advancement [at Red Bull] has been amazing," he said.
"I was at Arden or something when I sat with Christian in his office in 2005, hoping to get into GP2. I would not say we clicked right away!
"It was amazing to watch his development and what he accomplished with the team. It takes passion and competence to operate an organisation that large and effectively, and he contributed both to the team. I hope the best for him.
The animosity that had existed between Hamilton's Mercedes and Horner's Red Bull during the intense 2021 drivers' championship match between Hamilton and Verstappen is in sharp contrast to this display of appreciation for one another. Conflicts on the circuit and elsewhere resulted from the rivalry, which was both fascinating and poisonous.
Hamilton would not want to see a change at the top because of his long-standing friendship with Vasseur. Even though the Frenchman recently signed a new contract, the 40-year-old has enough experience to recognise that he is in a perilous position after a difficult rookie season at Ferrari.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
