Ferrari should consider Horner, Ecclestone says
NXTbets Pro | Published On: July 1, 2026
Ecclestone backs Ferrari
Bernie Ecclestone has urged Christian Horner to think about Ferrari as the next step in Formula 1, saying the Scuderia makes sense for the former Red Bull chief and that he has already raised the idea with him. Ecclestone said he has discussed Ferrari with Horner and tried before to steer him toward Maranello, a sign that the veteran figure still sees the Italian team as the clearest route back into the paddock. He also said he does not know whether Horner will end up there, but he views Ferrari as a logical destination. The message is clear enough. Ecclestone believes Horner has a high enough profile, and enough of a track record, to command attention at one of the sport’s biggest names. He has also pushed Ferrari’s top management to consider Horner as a way to bring him back into Formula 1. That line of thinking fits the broader uncertainty around Horner’s next move after he left Red Bull. The departure opened the door to a wave of speculation, and Ferrari sits at the center of it because of the scale of the job and the stature of the team. Ecclestone’s view is that Horner would not be starting from scratch at a small outfit. He would be stepping into a place where winning is the only currency that matters, and where his time at Red Bull would carry weight.
Horner weighs options
Horner has made his own position clear. He has said he would only return to Formula 1 in the right role, one that gives him greater responsibility. That condition narrows the field and helps explain why so many possible destinations have been mentioned around him. The speculation has stretched well beyond Ferrari and into ideas such as launching his own team, taking a stake in Alpine, a connection with BYD and a move to Aston Martin. There has been no new contact about Aston Martin since earlier discussions this year, which keeps that route from appearing immediate. Ecclestone also argued that Horner would face a hard road anywhere outside Red Bull because people would compare him to what he achieved there. He said the scale of resources Horner had at Red Bull would make it difficult to repeat that kind of success elsewhere. That point cuts to the heart of the debate around Horner. His record at Red Bull is the benchmark, and any future job would come with that standard attached. Ecclestone said that comparison alone would make life difficult for Horner, no matter where he landed. Ferrari may look like a natural fit on paper, but the pressures would be different there, and the expectations would be immediate. The question is no longer whether Horner has options. It is which option gives him the authority he wants and the platform he believes he needs.
Ferrari and Verstappen
Ferrari’s own situation gives the Horner talk extra weight. The team has already extended Fred Vasseur’s contract, and it continues with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton as its driver pairing. Ecclestone still thinks Ferrari should chase Max Verstappen, and he said signing Verstappen would be cheaper than trying to build a better car. He went a step further and suggested Verstappen may have missed his best chance to move to Ferrari last year. That view adds another layer to Ecclestone’s criticism of the way Ferrari operates. He said the team’s decision-making is too heavily influenced by Italians, a line that reflects his long-running frustration with the structure around the team. The broader point is that Ferrari remains a place where leadership decisions matter as much as speed on track. That is why Ecclestone sees Horner as a potential fit. He believes Ferrari needs a decisive figure who can shape the operation and bring a winning edge, even if he is not convinced Horner will take the job. He also sees Verstappen as the kind of driver who can change the balance more quickly than a long rebuild. For now, Ferrari has its management in place and its driver line-up set, but the conversation around Horner shows how much its future direction still invites scrutiny.
