F1 2026: Christian Horner officially confirmed by chairman John Elkann as Lewis Hamilton’s new boss at Ferrari — the earth-shattering decision rocks the F1 world, ushering in an era of rivalry and completely transforming the legendary team for the new season 👇👇👇
Ever since the day Christian Horner was kicked out of Red Bull back in July, Formula 1 has never been far away from discussing his comeback.
With justification too – although this does rely on how strictly you apply the moral code and having looked outside recently, that’s no easy task.
But whatever you think of the now 52-year-old (and a happy birthday to him) and how he conducts his personal life, when you are that good at assembling multiple world championship-winning teams, it’s going to take a serious transgression for him to just fade away never to be spoken about in the circus of the paddock again.
So here we are, Christian Horner has been linked with many teams this season, some bonkers suggestions include Alpine and Haas, but the one that just doesn’t go away is the links with Ferrari. Why? Because it makes the most sense.
I won’t go into much detail on how and why he is the man to fix Ferrari, mainly because a colleague has already done so here. Instead, here is why Christian Horner needs Lewis Hamilton and why Lewis Hamilton needs Christian Horner.
It’s probably the most unlikely and unfitting of duos since England’s consistent failure of combining Frank Lampard with Steven Gerrard.
Why would Lewis Hamilton not like Christian Horner?
There’s history between them for a start. Horner of Red Bull. The team boss whose FIA lobbying at the final race of Abu Dhabi 2021 helped to influence race director Michael Masi folding like a pack of cards to set up the bonkers last lap finale that saw Max Verstappen snatch away Lewis Hamilton’s eighth world title in the cruellest of fashions.
Indirect or otherwise, Horner helped instigate a Hamilton nightmare that may never leave him.
Off-track optics plays a big role too, Horner’s casual reputation outside of F1 plummeted following a Red Bull internal investigation after accusations of inappropriate behaviour towards a team employee. He may have been cleared of any wrongdoing, but accusations stick in people’s consciousness.
| Year | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 7th | 34* |
| 2006 | 7th | 16* |
| 2007 | 5th | 24* |
| 2008 | 7th | 29* |
| 2009 | 2nd | 153.5* |
| 2010 | 1st | 498 |
| 2011 | 1st | 650 |
| 2012 | 1st | 460 |
| 2013 | 1st | 596 |
| 2014 | 2nd | 405 |
| 2015 | 4th | 187 |
| 2016 | 2nd | 468 |
| 2017 | 3rd | 368 |
| 2018 | 3rd | 419 |
| 2019 | 3rd | 417 |
| 2020 | 2nd | 319 |
| 2021 | 2nd | 585.5 |
| 2022 | 1st | 759 |
| 2023 | 1st | 860 |
| 2024 | 3rd | 589 |
*Denotes 10 points for a win season
Hamilton is the opposite. F1’s golden boy, helping disadvantaged folk get a head start in life, looking at the development of F1’s nervous rookies, and keeping an eye on females in motorsport.
It’s chalk and cheese. But it’s time we acknowledged that if Ferrari want the jackpot of Lewis Hamilton getting back to his best and winning that eighth world title, a smart sporting decision needs to be made.
Horner will know exactly what Ferrari need to become major players again, and Hamilton will know this.
Even if there can be no personal relationship between Horner and Hamilton there can be a professional one. Ferrari, Hamilton and Horner is an unlikely trio – totally unthinkable two years ago – but it it is the perfect one for all of them.