Toto Wolff suggests Horner was booed over past allegations, while Verstappen dismisses the topic, refusing to engage in the controversy.
At the season launch at the O2 Arena in London, the stadium’s music couldn’t entirely drown out the boos directed at Christian Horner and Max Verstappen. The two Red Bull figures were clearly not very popular among McLaren F1 or Lewis Hamilton fans.
For Toto Wolff, the boos were primarily aimed at Christian Horner, his long-time rival on the grid.
“We were all surprised by the extent of the boos, especially against a single person,” Wolff told the media.
“There weren’t really any boos for Max,” he assured.
Toto Wolff then made a subtle reference to the harassment allegations against Christian Horner, which were later dismissed internally.
“What happened was a consequence of what had happened before. But it was strong, it was negative, and it surprised everyone.”
“He was at home (in the UK), yet Christian still received those boos. Boos shouldn’t exist in this sport, but in my view, they weren’t directed at Max.”
Despite the reaction, Toto Wolff believes the O2 Arena launch was a major success, crediting Liberty Media.
“We didn’t know what to expect from this event, and it turned out to be very successful,” he added.
“The work done by some of the smaller teams in marketing was outstanding.”
“Everything was flawless. The organization was excellent. It was a top-tier event for our sponsors, who really appreciated it.”
“That’s the feedback we received, and credit must go to F1 for what they achieved. I’m sure this format will expand in the coming years, perhaps in other locations, and that’s exceptional.”
Verstappen downplays the booing incident
Also asked about the apparent boos directed at his team boss, Max Verstappen chose to deflect with irony.
“Were there boos? Maybe I’m deaf.”
“I don’t need to talk about it. It’s not worth my time.”
“It was an absolutely fantastic event. I didn’t say anything wrong!”
James Vowles criticizes the crowd’s behavior
The Red Bull camp, however, received support from James Vowles, the Williams F1 team principal. The former deputy to Toto Wolff believes booing simply had no place in London.
“I didn’t know what to expect from this event,” Vowles said.
“I think it was absolutely fantastic. We did justice to the sport. Congratulations to all our organizers. Congratulations to the teams for rising to the occasion.”
“I don’t think this is a place for booing,” he added.
“We were there to represent our sport, which we are all passionate about, and we must remember that we are trying to project a global image. This isn’t an environment for creating heroes and villains.”
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