Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has reacted to Toto Wolff calling him a “yapping little terrier”. He has also commented on the ongoing verbal fight between his driver Max Verstappen and George Russell.
Mercedes and Red Bull once more have found themselves in a conflict during the Qatar GP weekend. Verstappen was given a one-place grid penalty for driving unnecessarily slowly in qualifying, with Russell avoiding action while being on a preparation lap. Verstappen was unpleased with the penalty.
On this, Horner said that Russell was “hysterical” throughout the weekend, a comment Wolff didn’t like. The Austrian called his rival a “yapping little terrier” who is a “weak” team principal.
Now Verstappen accused Russell to be a “backstabber”, as the Briton claimed to have been threatened by the four-time world champion.
Horner: “I love terriers” and “Wolff is quite dramatic”
Horner joked around when asked on the “yapping terrier” comment from Wolff, saying he would rather be a terrier than a wolf.
”Well, look, I love terriers. I think they’re great dogs. And I’ve had four of them. I had a couple of Airedales, which are the king of the terriers,” Horner said, when asked on the comments made by Wolff.
”I had a couple of West Highland terriers, called Bernie and Flavio. And the good thing about a terrier is they’re tremendously loyal. I mean, Bernie, he was an aggressive little dog. He’d go for anybody. And Flavio, he was a bit more chilled out. He probably ate a bit too much as well.
”But look, I think to be called a terrier, is that such a bad thing? They’re not afraid of having to go at the bigger dogs? I’d rather be a terrier than a wolf, maybe.”
His comments about Russell
Asked if the new conflict reopened old wounds, Horner denies and explains his comments on Russell. He says that he referred to Mercedes’s strategy during the Qatar GP.
”I mean, Toto’s quite dramatic, as we all know. I wasn’t talking about the psychology of his driver. And when I was referring to hysterics, I was more referring to the roasting that he gave his team when they fitted a set of Hards onto the car when he’d asked for a set of Mediums and expressed his displeasure for the tyre choice that they’d put on the car.
”I’d get fined if I were to repeat the language that was used [then] in this press conference. So look. Obviously, a lot has been said. We know Toto likes to talk a lot, but that’s the way it is. I think for us, we just want to finish the season on a high, have a great race, see these guys battle it out, and hopefully everybody then can have a well-earned rest after this race.”
Then asked if the relationship to Wolff always would have up and downs, Horner believes the Mercedes team principal “loves to hate” him. He adds that Mercedes should focus on Lewis Hamilton’s farewell race and that every team operates differently.
”I really don’t know. It needs to be about what you do on the track. I mean, there’s a sort of a love-hate relationship, where I think Toto loves to hate me. It’s one of those things. I would have assumed he sort of got a bit more on his plate with, you know, obviously it’s Lewis’s last race for that team. And, yeah, I think they should be celebrating that rather than focusing on other aspects.
”Everybody manages themselves and their teams in different ways. We’ve won 122 races. We’ve won 14 world championships. I think we’re doing alright.”
Verstappen “does nothing but tell the truth”
Regarding the case between Verstappen and Russell, Horner backs Verstappen, saying the 27-year-old is telling the truth in this conflict.
”Not at all. Look, Max, he’s a very straight shooter — he just tells you exactly how he sees it. He tells the truth exactly, you know, what he feels.
”Obviously he had a large amount of frustration, you know, last weekend, the way things played out in a scenario that we haven’t seen before and a subsequent grid penalty. And then he turned that into motivation and made a blinding start, led the race into the first corner and won the Grand Prix, which is the best possible response.
”Now obviously, a lot’s been made of it yesterday. It’s pantomime season. You know, we’re getting ready for Christmas. So there’s maybe an element of end-of-term blues there. But I don’t think it’ll have any effect on the Grand Prix itself.
“Max does nothing but tell the truth. So I believe 100% what he said to be accurate. Of course, there’s other people in those steward rooms as well. And they also came back and reported that they were quite surprised at the, if you like, the approach that was taken.”
Formula 1 has arrived at Abu Dhabi for the season finale. Max Verstappen has already been crowned as the world champion, while the constructors title is still to be won. The battle is between Ferrari and McLaren.
