Speaking to Sky Sports following FP1 at the F1 Belgian GP, Toto Wolff has opened up on his feelings about the dismissal of Christian Horner from Red Bull Racing, and he also talked about Max Verstappen.
The racing world was stunned in the week after the British GP as Red Bull Racing fired their team principal. Horner had led the team from their first very race at the 2005 Australian Grand Prix. 8 Drivers’ Championships and 6 Constructors’ Titles later, the story ended. It was a call made by the top brass in Austria.
Toto Wolff and Christian Horner have regularly one at it since the Austrian became Mercedes F1 team boss in 2013. Of course, it all came to a head during a hugely exciting and controversial 2021 campaign. They have never been the best of friends.
Wolff reacts to the exit of Horner
Asked if he will miss his fierce F1 rival Horner, Wolff said he would in a way. He outlined why the Brit would be a loss to the paddock for now.
“In a way, in a way, yes [I will miss him]. You know, he was one of the main casts.
“First of all, I don’t think he’s gone forever. I think he’s going to pop up in some kind of other function.
“Well, I need to be careful. He could be rocking up in the FIA and then I’m really in the shit. So, you never know.
“Yeah, but you look at it from the main protagonist. He was someone that was controversial, that was polarising and not, how do you say, softwashed.
“And that is good, was good from the entertainment factor. And from that perspective, he’s clearly going to be missed.”
Asked if he had messaged or called the former Red Bull boss, the head of Mercedes’ F1 team says that time will come.
“I didn’t find it appropriate for the time being, but I certainly will.”
Toto Wolff denies Max Verstappen chase was to remove Horner from Red Bull F1 hot seat
From last year, Toto Wolff has made no secret of his desire to get Max Verstappen in a Mercedes at some stage. Of course that led to plenty of questions for Christian Horner, and it continues to be something the Dutchman faces every weekend.
However, he strongly denied that it was a ploy go see Christian Horner get removed from his position.
“No, I think there is much more in the background that we probably don’t know with Red Bull, the mothership and the whole constellation.
“And, you know, looking after drivers and in my position as team principal of Mercedes, I need to find out, I need to explore what Max is going to do in the next few years, not only next year.”
Possible impact on the future of Max Verstappen?
As the Dutchman continues to bat off questions about his future and where he might be next year as he looks set to stick with Red Bull, Toto Wolff says the ambition for any racing driver is to be in the fastest car.
“I think drivers, and you [Martin Brundle] will know that much better than me, drivers will always seek the quickest car much more than any monetary incentives. It’s about being in the quickest car and analysing that.
“And this is what Max and all the others will also do.”
