Inside Toto Wolff and Christian Horner’s turbulent relationship

Toto Wolff and Christian Horner enjoy a fierce rivalry with tensions regularly reaching boiling point. Wolff and Horner have clashed on a series of occasions including several times during their 2021 title battle. However, their clashes began as early as 2014 when Mercedes stole Red Bull’s position at the top of the sport.

The first battle

As Mercedes cruised to their first world title in 2014, Horner was already pushing for changes. The Red Bull boss backed a new set of power unit rules which would allow teams to continue developing their engine through the season.

At this stage, top teams were only allowed to change 92 per cent of their designs up until 2015 but Horner campaigned for unlimited access. This angered Wolff who hit back: “Nobody can really be in favour of an all-out engine war from 2016.

“No serious company would allow that to happen and none of the current engine suppliers could allow that to happen because costs would escalate totally out of control.”

A year later, Horner moaned that interest in F1 would be lost if the FIA made no changes to stop Mercedes. Wolff blasted back again, adding: “Just get your f***ing head down, work hard and try to sort it out.”

Horner hits back at Verstappen phone call

Tensions increased again in 2016 as it emerged Wolff had contacted Max Verstappen’s father. The Mercedes boss called Jos Verstappen after Max was embroiled in an opening lap crash with Nico Rosberg.

But, Horner called out the move as he blasted Wolff for getting involved with the team’s driver. He said: “It’s totally wrong. They’ve got their own business. To be meddling in other teams’… maybe he does that with Ferrari, but he shouldn’t do it.

“He’s got no right to tell Max how he should drive and conduct himself.”

Tension rises in title duel

Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s title fight in 2021 is when the pair’s fractious relationship was really tested. Relations heated up in Azerbaijan as Horner learned Mercedes were planning a protest against Red Bull’s flexi wing.

Reacting, Horner called on Wolff to “keep his mouth shut” as he questioned the legality of the Silver Arrows’ front wing. Wolff made a personal insult at Horner as he branded the team boss a “windbag who wants to be on camera”.

Both team bosses disagreed over who was at fault as their drivers clashed at the 2021 British Grand Prix. As the season wound down, Horner claimed he didn’t need to “kiss [Wolff’s] a***” and even suggested there was “no relationship” between the pair.

Mercedes struggles and budget cap

Horner and Wolff clashed at the Canadian Grand Prix in footage only just relayed by Netflix’s Drive to Survive. Mercedes had called on the FIA to issue new rules changes after Hamilton struggled with back pain due to porpoising.

But, Horner called out Wolff’s demands as he rallied against the need for regulation updates. He remarked: “Well change your car. You’ve got a problem. Change your f***ing car!”

Later in the year, Red Bull was accused of cheating after they were found guilty of breaching the budget cap. Wolff questioned whether the team’s eventual wind tunnel penalty was strong enough but Horner hit back.

On camera, the Red Bull principal told Verstappen: “Fun and games with Mercedes over all this cost cap s***. I mean it’s unbelievable how much s*** Toto says.”