Hamilton backs Vasseur amid Horner-Ferrari speculation

Lewis Hamilton publicly backed Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur when asked about speculation linking former Red Bull chief Christian Horner with the Italian team, while Vasseur said repeated questions about Horner and his own future were distracting him and the team. Hamilton gave a brief affirmative answer after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix when asked whether he still believed Ferrari was on the right path under Vasseur. He also indicated the team remained united and said it would keep trying in the remaining races. His response addressed the speculation but did not establish Ferrari’s intentions or whether any discussions with Horner are taking place. Horner, who left Red Bull last year, said in an interview that Ferrari was the one Formula 1 team for which he would consider returning without an ownership stake. He described the prospect as a dream. His comments have prompted renewed discussion about a possible move, but the reporting does not establish that Ferrari is pursuing him or considering replacing Vasseur. Vasseur said the repeated questions were frustrating and made it harder to maintain a calm working atmosphere.