Lewis Hamilton admits speculation around Christian Horner talks with Ferrari are "distracting" for the team.
Rumours began on Monday October 13 after the Daily Mail reported the ex-Red Bull boss was in talks with Ferrari chairman John Elkann over a move to the team.
The article stated Elkann is "unhappy" with current boss Fred Vasseur's running of the team, and with Horner's desperation for a return to the paddock, the Ferrari man began to court.
According to the Daily Mail, sources close to Horner have confirmed he is actively seeking a job and is being courted by multiple teams, but no specific comment was made towards Ferrari.
However Sky Sports News now say "exploratory conversations have taken place but sources in Italy have downplayed the seriousness of the links."
Speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Hamilton shared his thoughts on the matter.
"I don't know where the rumours have come from so I can't really shed much light on that".
"But it's a little bit distracting for us as a team. The team has made it clear where they stand in terms of re-signing Fred."
Vasseur signed a new multi-year deal with Ferrari in July, despite a less than ideal run of results this season.
"Fred and I and the whole team are working really hard on the future for the team. These things naturally aren't helpful", the seven-time World Champion continued.
Hamilton said he didn't think it was a good ideal for the 51-year-old Brit to come to Ferrari and said he "won't entertain rumours".
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Is Horner to Ferrari the right fit?
Ferrari is Italy through and through. The team belongs to the country and vice versa, so bringing in others from the outside is always met with a point of contention.
Choosing a Frenchman like Vasseur to lead the team was not favoured in the beginning, but over time the fans have grown to love him.
The Prancing Horses are in need of stability to return to glory, and with the upcoming regulation updates, a change at the top would be even more disruptive.
Even saying so, Horner may not be the best fit for Ferrari.
Considering that Ferrari and Red Bull have been rivals, some fans may not take warmly to Horner's addition.
However some may warm to his aggressive approach as a leader.
Reports have claimed that various teams are courting Horner - who can only rejoin the paddock at the earliest in April 2026.
Haas, Williams and Aston Martin have all ruled out his addition, as the team principals of each spoke out about it.
But it's clear Horner wants back in.
He was pictured at dinner with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and McLaren CEO Zak Brown on October 14.
So where could Horner go that may be a good fit?
Alpine seems like the right option. They are currently being led by de-facto boss Flavio Briatore and are in need of a full-time experienced team principal to get the potential out of the team and the car.
Briatore and Horner are known to be old friends, and their passionate outlook on the sport seem to match - which could be a match made in heaven.
But so far, Alpine's managing director Steve Nielsen has played down any move for Horner.
“Flavio and Christian are old friends, that’s no secret. What they’ve talked about, I don’t know.
“But everything I see and everything I know, there’s no truth in Christian coming to Alpine—but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. This is Formula 1 after all.”
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