In a candid interview, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff reflected on his years-long heated rivalry with former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. Now that the Brit has left Max Verstappen‘s team, Wolff speaks unfiltered about their mutual battle.
Speaking to British Channel 4, Wolff said, “He was often a pain in the neck, and I told him that more than once to his face. We’ve been fighting each other for twelve years. He was an incredibly polarizing and controversial figure, but also one of the main players in our sport.”
Despite the sharp words, Wolff acknowledges that Horner’s departure leaves a void in Formula 1. “In a way, I miss him. His achievements and the track record of him and his team speak for themselves. It feels like one of the old dinosaurs of the sport has disappeared. There just aren’t many team bosses left, so it sometimes feels quite lonely.”
The rivalry between Wolff and Horner reached a peak in 2021, when Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton battled for the world title until the last race. “We were constantly at each other’s throats, but that’s what made the game beautiful,” said Wolff. “You need people who stoke the fire, who make it exciting. Horner was such a person, even though he sometimes annoyed me terribly.”
