The rivalry between Mercedes and Red Bull has intensified noticeably in recent months to the point of becoming personal between Toto Wolff and Christian Horner. The latter has spoken of all this.
What happened at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix only intensified a sporting rivalry that eventually became personal between many members of Mercedes and Red Bull.
The dialectical clashes between its two directors, Toto Wolff and Christian Horner, are a clear example of this and have even ended up becoming the protagonists of the fourth season of Drive to Survive. Even above Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
“I am not living as a tax exile in Monaco, managing a team remotely”
But after Toto Wolff acknowledged that he went too far in his confrontation with Horner, Horner does not seem to have gotten the message and has no intention of adopting a more discreet profile. Proof of this is the analysis that he has made of his counterpart at Mercedes, as well as of the Anglo-German team itself.
Wolff is moved by money
“We are very different. If I’m not on the track, I’m in the factory. I am not living as a tax exile in Monaco, managing a team remotely. I am practical. My diary is full from the moment I arrive to the moment I leave, dealing with issues within the team. I have an open door policy.”
“Toto comes from a very different background. He has financial experience and is highly motivated by what he says on the balance sheet. Results dictate that performance. Does he share the same passion as a runner? No idea. Will he be here in 10 years or will he have cashed in and be on his super yacht? No idea”.
personal rivalry
“My relationship with Toto is… you know, it’s professional. He’s not the type of person I’m going to go out to dinner with or spend private time with, but I have respect for what he has done and what he has achieved. Of course, as far as I’m concerned, 2021 is done and done. Now it’s all about 2022. Will he be the main opponent this year? No idea”.
“I like? I have no personal problem with Toto. He’s the kind of person who bites pretty easily, so it’s always fun to wind him up a bit.. But he’s not a bad guy, that’s for sure.”
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Abu Dhabi
“As for the idea that the result was influenced by the need for entertainment about the sport, I do not agree with that”.
“I felt like what was going on behind the scenes over the Christmas period was a bit underhanded. The pressure that was put on the FIA, the positioning, the pressure that was put on the race director to try to discredit what we had achieved.”
“There was a concerted campaign by our rivals to discredit our achievementeven to the point of the FIA prize giving, and it is a tactic that has also been employed by Mercedes in other championships.
“The reality was that Michael Masi did not break his own rules. Mercedes had the same strategic options available to us as we did, they made a strategic mistake by not stopping Lewis with the virtual safety car, but then hoping he could fight back on 44-lap tyres. He was massively exposed by the team, who chose to leave him out despite the fact that he was (Lewis) questioning that call. The smoke screen was placed on the race director instead of the mistake that Mercedes made strategically.”
Mercedes’ narrative
“The fundamental differences are that Mercedes is a team that has evolved over the years and grown to such a scale that it is a very well-oiled machine in all its functions on the track, off the track, politically and in the media. while we have preserved the essence of a racing team».
“When you show up at our factory in Milton Keynes, your sole purpose is to work for the race team to improve the car and achieve the best possible results. You have to be prepared to move quickly and you have to be able to react quickly.don’t be afraid to speak up, don’t be afraid to speak your mind.”
“We are a bit more maverick than any other team and that is why Mercedes has not been able to control us. Whether it’s through supplying engines or drivers, Mercedes has done it with just about every other team in recent years. There has been an element of influence. There is no such influence with Red Bull and that makes us a very dangerous competitor.”.
“That inability to control ourselves is at the heart of the tension between us. They are a very controlling group. That’s Toto’s mantra. Suddenly we’re messing around in your backyard with the engine too. How can an energy drink company build a chassis that will take on and outperform Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, McLaren? It feels very uncomfortable.”
“Now that we’re running the power unit and attracting some of the best talent in the business, it’s even worse. How can Red Bull produce a competitive engine? That is our goal.”
Lewis Hamilton
“Lewis and I have had a couple of conversations over the years. From 2010 to 2013, I really wanted to come and drive for Red Bull. We had Sebastian at the time and having two alpha drivers would have made no sense.”
“Niki Lauda was at Mercedes and he was very interested in taking Lewis and I remember encouraging him to do it. We were fighting McLaren and in 2012 they had the fastest car andWe understand that Lewis in a McLaren would be more of a threat than in a Mercedes.”.
“I encouraged Niki to spend the money, as Lewis was a bit hesitant. It would be fair to say that it backfired on me. (Although) the sense of achievement to beat this mighty Mercedes machine with Lewis as part of it, was huge.”
Source: Daily Mail