Wolff blames Russell for “triggering the media avalanche” – For the first time in over twenty years, Christian Horner is not in the paddock for a Formula One race weekend and his arch rival Toto Wolff was asked how he felt no that his long term nemesis was now gone from the sport.
As expected, the Mercedes team boss was neither warm nor effusive in giving his thoughts and refuted the accusation that it was his relentless pursuit of Horner’s star driver which led to the Austrian overlords to release the third longest ever serving F1 team principal.
Toto Wolff appeared confused over the performance of his drivers in free practice, given the cooler temperatures he expected better than P4 for Russell and P6 for Antonelli who was almost a second off the fastest time set by Oscar Piastri.
Wolff ‘cool’ when asked about Horner
When asked if he was going to miss Christian Horner, Wolff paused for thought before replying: “… in a way… in a way yes,” he sighed. “You know he was one of the main [characters in the F1] cast – by the way I don’t think he’s gone forever, I think he’s gonna pop up somewhere in some other kind of function.”
When asked where he thought that may be, Wolff quipped: “Well I need to b careful, he may be popping up in the FIA and then I’m really in the shit.” Horner and the Mercedes boss have battled it out in front of the FIA for more than decade, with each causing the other at times of having designed an F1 car which is not legal insider the FIA rules.
“You look art it from [who are] the main protagonists, he was someone that was controversial and polarising and not ‘soft washed’ and that is good from the entertainment factor and from that perspective he is clearly gonna be missed,” added Wolff.
“His track record speaks for itself… so yeah.” When asked by Sky presenter Natalie Pinkham whether he’d had any contact with his ‘old enemy’, there Mercedes boss was quick to respond, “No, no not yet. I didn’t find it appropriate for the time being, but I certainly will.”
Mercedes boss questions Austrian’s motivations
When asked whether the relentless news stories about Max leaving Red Bull for Mercedes was the reason Horner was dismissed, Toto was adamant there are other reasons going on behind the scenes. “I think there is much more in the background which we don’t know, Red Bull – the mother ship and the whole constellation…” he suggested meaning the new directors at the Austrian parent company were taking more control of their F1 operations.
Toto was defensive of his attempts to lure Verstappen to Mercedes: “You know, looking after drivers in my role as team principal of Mercedes, I need to explore what Max is doing in the next few years, not just next year.”
“I think drivers will always seek to be in the quickest car, much more than any monetary incentives. Its about being in the quickest car and analysing that, as well as what Max and all the others will do.”
Martin Brundle put it to the Mercedes team boss that to beat McLaren in 2026, he needed the best driver lineup, which the Sky F1 presenter claimed would be George Russell and Max Verstappen. Wolff replied, “This is more of a long shot… far fetched… because I want to stay with Kimi and George as it stands. But obviously if you have a Russell/Verstappen line up, thats Prost/Senna I guess, no?”
Alpine quit developing 2025 car
George triggered a “media avalanche”
Of course despite Alan Prost being instrumental in bringing Ayrton Senna to the McLaren team, the pair famously did not get on and a number of blue on blue action was seen over their tie together with the Woking based F1 team.
Brundle pressed harder. “What’s stopping you from signing George. It must be so embarrassing for him having to turn up at each Grand Prix and having to justify himself. “It’s more that you guys [the media] make a lot of pressure,” responded Wolff. “Its completely normal. We have those kind of negotiations and those discussions. Every driver wants to have a better car and more money and that in this case] is not going to be the crucial point.”
Wolff went on to accuse his driver of “triggering the whole media avalanche” following his comments in Austria which confirmed Verstappen had been talking to Mercedes and its team principal. “Maybe I’m naive but I try to be transparent with the drivers,” Wolff added. “I tell him I have the obligation to explore what Max is going to do in the next few years and he just came out with it,” added Wolff, suggesting it was to relieve the media pressure and make plain George knew nothing was going on behind his back.
When pressed again on why Russell had no contract, Toto again refused say for certain that his driver would be with the team in 2026, merely claiming in somewhat a coded fashion: “I’m sure he’ll sleep well over the summer break.”
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Stuttgart pressing to sign Verstappen
TJ13 reported this week, that whilst Wolff would prefer to get his driver line up sorted quickly, there has been pressure from Mercedes-Benz CEO, back in Stuttgart, to get Verstappen signed whatever the cost. Add to this the reference Toto makes about the extremely turbulent relationship team mates Prost and Senna enjoyed, and he clearly would prefer to resign his current drivers rather than have to manage both sides of the garage at war.
A report in De Telegraaf today suggests, the new leadership at Red Bull have been pressing rehear driver to declare publicly his allegiance to the team for next season. The report continues Verstappen has refused to do this even in private to the senior management, who remain in the dark over his future intentions.
The reason given for Verstappen refusing to make a commitment, is said to be he wants more time, to see if the design and engineering teams I Milton Keynes can make “meaningful progress” on the current car as well as for the 2026 challenger being built to completely new specifications.
Verstappen explains Red Bull “new direction” under Mekies
Max Verstappen comes into the Belgian Grand Prix looking for only his third win of the season. The world champion is having his worst start to a year since the 2020 campaign when he claimed just one victory before the Formula One summer break.
Hope of a record equaling fifth consecutive world drivers’ title is all but gone, yet with half a season of racing ahead there are wins and milestones for Verstappen to collect with Spa Francorchamps one of the better circuits for the RB21.
Besides a short social media post, thanking Christian Horner for everything, Verstappen has remained thin lipped over the removal of the Red Bull Racing team boss, but in his first interview on the topic Verstappen’s thoughts are most telling…. READ MORE
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