Christian Horner reveals Toto Wolff’s harsh Red Bull engine prediction following Red Bull-Ford victories, while addressing Ferrari speculation, his departure and potential Formula 1 return.
Christian Horner has clearly lost none of his appetite for confrontation with Toto Wolff. The former Red Bull team principal has used the first Formula 1 victories for the Red Bull-Ford power unit to take another swipe at his former Mercedes rival, recalling the particularly harsh criticism Wolff allegedly directed at the Austrian team’s engine project. In an interview with The Guardian, the Briton also discussed Wolff’s influence over McLaren, the importance of rivalries in sport and his recent comments concerning Ferrari.
The Red Bull-Ford power unit’s maiden victory at Sepang, followed by another triumph in Singapore, marks a significant milestone for the engine programme launched under Christian Horner’s leadership. Although no longer in charge of the Milton Keynes-based team, the Briton remains closely associated with the creation of a project whose prospects of success had raised considerable doubts from the outset.
Horner decided to establish Red Bull Powertrains following Honda’s announcement that it would withdraw as a Formula 1 power unit manufacturer at the end of the 2021 season. The Japanese manufacturer has since made its official return to Formula 1 this year through its new partnership with Aston Martin.
At the time, Red Bull explored several options to secure its engine future, but Mercedes consistently refused to supply the Austrian team with power units.
That situation helped push Red Bull towards developing its own engine, an enormous technical and industrial challenge for an organisation that had never previously designed and built a complete Formula 1 power unit.
And according to Horner, Toto Wolff had little faith in the project’s chances of success.
Speaking to The Guardian following the Red Bull-Ford power unit’s breakthrough success, the former Red Bull boss claimed that his Mercedes counterpart had predicted a spectacular failure.
« He said that this Red Bull engine would be a complete piece of shit and a disaster, » Horner declared.
The particularly blunt allegation illustrates the enduring rivalry between the two men, even after Horner’s departure from Red Bull.
The Briton regards the maiden victory as an answer to Wolff’s doubts about Red Bull’s ability to become a competitive engine manufacturer.
The Red Bull-Ford project represented a major turning point in the team’s history, requiring it to develop entirely new industrial and technical capabilities to compete against manufacturers with decades of experience in Formula 1 engine development.
Horner admitted that being absent when Red Bull’s own engine finally secured a victory had been particularly painful.
« I felt a great deal of sadness and a sense of injustice at not having had the opportunity to see this Powertrains engine win. »
Following Max Verstappen’s recent victory, Horner revealed that he had sent a message to his former driver.
« I was very proud to see what it meant to everyone. It confirmed to me that if you bring together the right people, the right culture and the necessary tools, anything is possible. »
But Horner did not limit himself to recalling Wolff’s criticism. He also addressed the Mercedes team principal’s current position in the paddock, suggesting that his former rival now enjoys a relatively comfortable situation compared with his main competitors.
In Horner’s view, Toto Wolff no longer faces the same level of personal and political opposition that characterised the years of confrontation between Mercedes and Red Bull. He believes that Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren Racing, does not have complete freedom to challenge the Mercedes boss directly.
Although McLaren has won the last two Constructors’ World Championships, the British team continues to use Mercedes-supplied power units, creating, according to Horner, a degree of dependence that could limit tensions between the two executives.
« Toto has a pretty easy life at the moment. Zak Brown is in a difficult position because he uses Toto’s engine, so he can’t make waves. »
Horner nevertheless believes that confrontations between strong personalities are essential to the appeal of sport and can also serve as a powerful source of motivation within a team. He compared his rivalry with Wolff to several famous managerial battles in football, including those between Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger, and José Mourinho and Pep Guardiola.
« Every sport needs rivalries, whether it’s Ferguson and Wenger or Mourinho and Guardiola. It spreads and polarises opinion. I used that rivalry to bring talented people together and motivate them to take on Mercedes. »
Christian Horner has also given numerous interviews in recent weeks while promoting a forthcoming book. His public appearances have reignited speculation about his Formula 1 future, particularly following comments concerning his potential interest in leading Ferrari.
Some of his remarks had been interpreted as an indication that he wanted to take charge of the Scuderia, currently headed by Frédéric Vasseur.
However, Horner insists that his comments were taken out of context and should not be interpreted as criticism of the Frenchman’s work.
« Fred Vasseur is an experienced individual. He’s done a good job. But I know better than anyone the pressures that come with running a competitive organisation. My comments were taken out of context. »
Horner nevertheless clarified that his priority would be a different kind of opportunity.
« I’ve accumulated considerable resources to consider my next step in the sport. That would involve ownership, and Ferrari isn’t looking to sell any shares. So I’m prepared to sit back and see what opportunities emerge over the coming months or years. »
« I would never come back just to make up the numbers. »
Horner also reiterated that he had never received a clear explanation for the reasons behind his dismissal by Red Bull.
« I think there was a feeling that I had too much power in my hands. But I wasn’t really given a specific reason. »
Asked whether the Verstappen family might have played a role, he replied:
« No, it was a Red Bull decision. After Dietrich’s death, the leadership changed. »
He nevertheless suggested that Red Bull had changed since his departure.
« Red Bull has always been the rebel team. Its philosophy was to be unconventional, to be the troublemakers. It’s a little different today. »
As for the performance of his successor, Horner commented:
« I was the one who recruited Laurent Mekies, but I can’t judge the way he works. »
Horner finally admitted that « I miss the people, the team and the competition in Formula 1, but not the travelling and the politics. »
« But for now, the only thing that really motivates and excites me is Formula 1. »
