Wolff launches astonishing Horner ATTACK in...

Wolff launches astonishing Horner ATTACK in…read

Toto Wolff has once again fired a sharp attack at Christian Horner, rekindling the fierce rivalry that began during the 2021 Formula 1 season, especially in the aftermath of the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The two team principals, who lead Mercedes and Red Bull respectively, have clashed repeatedly over the years, primarily due to the intense on-track battle between their star drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

In the 2021 season, Hamilton and Verstappen’s rivalry escalated to a boiling point, with several high-profile incidents such as crashes and penalties at Silverstone, Monza, and Saudi Arabia. These events often led both Wolff and Horner to take their disagreements off the track, exchanging heated words through the media. The Abu Dhabi GP, which saw Verstappen edge out Hamilton for the title in a controversial final-lap showdown, was the climax of their feud. The race was marred by an unusual decision from race director Michael Masi, who allowed only some of the lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen to un-lap themselves, setting up a dramatic restart that gave Verstappen the opportunity to pass Hamilton and clinch the championship.

Speaking in a recent appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, Wolff reflected on the aftermath of that 2021 Abu Dhabi race, specifically targeting Horner’s attitude following the title decider. Wolff expressed frustration at what he perceived as a lack of empathy from Horner and Red Bull after Mercedes and Hamilton had been on the losing side of the dramatic finish. According to Wolff, there was no recognition from Horner or Red Bull acknowledging how tough the loss was for Mercedes, or the fact that both Hamilton and Verstappen deserved the title. Instead, Wolff characterized the response from Horner as one of entitlement.

He explained, “I felt the other side, not Max, but there was not one sentence saying ‘that was a difficult day for Mercedes, they were both deserving champions today it went against Mercedes.’” Wolff emphasized that had the roles been reversed, Mercedes would have acknowledged the difficulty of the situation and shown respect to their rivals. This, according to Wolff, reflected an attitude from Red Bull and Horner that he found difficult to accept, describing it as a sense of entitlement rather than sportsmanship.

The 2021 Abu Dhabi controversy remains a lingering source of tension for Wolff, and while the competitive landscape in Formula 1 has shifted over the years, the rivalry between him and Horner has not abated. Even after Verstappen’s dominance in the following seasons and the shift in power in Formula 1, Wolff’s grievances from 2021 continue to influence his public remarks.

Fast forward to the end of the 2024 season, and the animosity between Wolff and Horner flared up once more. The latest clash came after a heated exchange involving Verstappen and George Russell. Horner defended his driver, Verstappen, following the incident, prompting Wolff to brand Horner a “yapping little terrier.” This latest outburst suggests that, despite the passage of time, the underlying tensions between the two team principals remain unresolved.

Wolff’s comments about Horner’s conduct during the 2021 season, particularly in the wake of the Abu Dhabi GP, serve as a reminder that the intense rivalry between Mercedes and Red Bull is far from over. It also highlights the ongoing psychological and emotional battle that continues to play out off the track, fueled by their differing approaches to the cutthroat world of Formula 1.