Juan Pablo Montoya, former Formula 1 driver, believes that Ferrari should consider hiring Christian Horner to strengthen their team, despite the difficulties that could arise in the first few years. After being dismissed from Red Bull Racing last year, after twenty years at the helm of the team, Horner has been speculated at several teams, including Ferrari. However, the Scuderia chose to keep Fred Vasseur as leader, with the support of drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
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Montoya, however, believes that Horner would be a smart choice for Ferrari, but states that patience would be necessary: “Honestly, yes. But Ferrari would have to understand that it would be difficult in the first two years. It would be a program of at least four years, and they would have to be patient,” Montoya stated. For him, it is essential that the team remains united during the reconstruction process.
The former driver also made a point of highlighting that, for Ferrari to be successful, team unity would be of extreme importance: “You can’t have people talking bad, the media loves it when the bosses start talking too much. They need to be united,” said Montoya, citing the positive example of Mercedes and McLaren, who manage to remain discreet and focused on supporting their drivers.
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Montoya also suggested that, in addition to Ferrari, a possible return for Horner could also be utilized at another team: “Alpine would also be an option,” he stated. The French team, which uses the Mercedes power unit starting this year, could be a good choice for Horner to resume his trajectory in Formula 1. “If he could get involved with that team, it could do wonders for them,” the Colombian added.
With Horner’s future still open, options continue to be discussed, and Montoya’s vision raises questions about the best path for the experienced former team principal.
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