Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has admitted the renewed speculation over his future has become a distraction for his staff. The talk re-emerged after Christian Horner said in an interview that he would be interested in returning to Formula One if Ferrari came calling.
Horner's comments spark paddock talk
Speaking to The Times, Horner said: "I've been a hired hand. I did 21 years sitting on the pit wall. I don't need to go back to that. At this stage in my life, there's only one team for which I would accept non-participation in ownership. Would I consider Ferrari? I mean, Ferrari is the biggest brand in Formula 1. It's the dream. And, arguably, it's the sleeping giant of Formula One."
Those comments quickly made their way through the F1 paddock at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton was asked after the Baku race if he felt his team is on the right track under Vasseur, while the Frenchman himself also faced questions on the topic as he spoke to written media in the Ferrari motorhome.
Vasseur reacts to the questions
In response, Vasseur said it was "frustrating" to be answering such questions and said it had become a distraction for his staff. He said: "We are not working in perfect serenity. For me, first, but for everybody in the team, for the media, for the 50 percent of the questions about this. I think it's a bit of a frustrating situation.
"We are fighting for P2 in the championship. At the end of the day, we are all speaking a lot about this, and even for the guys in the garage to discuss about this, it's not the best discussion that we can have. But it is what it is, it's not in my hands.
"Mr Horner is looking for a job. Everybody knows, everywhere. What can I do? I just try to do my best to push the team, to ask the team to be motivated, focus on what is better today, and not to spend time with gossips. In each interview, it will be 25 times a day."
Ferrari's position and outlook
Vasseur was backed by the Ferrari leadership last year with a new multi-year contract to continue to lead the team approaching 20 years since its last title success. That was in 2008, when now-F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali was in charge. Their most recent drivers' champion was Kimi Raikkonen, a year earlier.
Ferrari are second in the constructors' championship but 160 points adrift of runaway leaders Mercedes. Vasseur said of the situation: "It is like it is. We still have seven races to go and we will push to the last corner. For sure. The sport is my life, it's my business. I'm trying to do my best. For sure, I'm there to do my job. I have the best job in the world."
