Christian Horner sidesteps question on alleged Ferrari meeting

Christian Horner has artfully avoided denying he met with Ferrari CEO John Elkann over potentially joining the Maranello squad as team principal.

The Red Bull boss dismissed all related talk as pure rumour, defiantly committing his future to the Milton Keynes-based team.

Despite Horner believed to be under contract until 2029 or 2030, conjecture surrounding the Briton and the Scuderia has reached an apex as Fred Vasseur, who is currently team principal at the Prancing Horse, has increasingly come under pressure amid Ferrari's poor start to the current F1 season.

There has been recent speculation that the Frenchman could be relieved of his duties, with Horner touted as a possible replacement.

It comes not long after he was reportedly close to being fired from Red Bull - the long tail of a turbulent 18 months for him and his standing within a team he has led since it debuted in F1 in 2005.

Nonetheless, the 51-year-old insisted his eyes are not set on pastures new when quizzed on the situation by Martin Brundle on Sky Sports F1.

"Crikey!" Horner responded when asked about his alleged meeting with Elkann. "Martin, you know this business and pit lane. There are so many rumours.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm fully committed to Red Bull.

"We've got so much good stuff coming through the pipeline; we're on the verge of launching our own engine for 2026, which has been a massive project and undertaking."

Horner did not miss the opportunity to make light of the subject, joking he would not even join Alpine after hearsay suggesting Flavio Briatore could be interested in prising him away from Red Bull as well.

"Of course, it is always flattering, being associated with other teams, particularly teams like Ferrari. But no, I'm not going anywhere - not even to Alpine!" said Horner.

"As I say, speculation is rife always in this paddock," he added. "But I've been here, what, 21 years - and I don't have any intention of being anywhere else."