Toto Wolff and Christian Horner were fierce rivals in Formula 1 and the Mercedes team principal was not afraid to call out the then-Red Bull boss for his comments on George Russell
Toto Wolff once accused Christian Horner of “stirring s*** up” after he expressed interest in signing George Russell from Mercedes. As Formula 1 fans prepare for the Singapore Grand Prix this Sunday afternoon, it brings to mind a verbal spat that occurred a year ago between two of the sport’s then-leading figures.
In 2024, Wolff made a bold move by responding to the ex-Red Bull team principal’s claim that he would like to lure Russell away from his current team at the end of the season. The Mercedes chief didn’t take kindly to Horner’s remarks and quickly voiced his own opinion.
Wolff said at the time: “He is always stirring s*** up on his part. It’s part of the game. George is a Mercedes driver, he has been forever and hopefully will be forever. He has a long contract with the team.”
Wolff then indirectly criticised Horner for trying to initiate talks outside his own F1 team, adding: “I don’t flirt outside. I’ve not entertained any discussions with any drivers when giving it all from the team to make it a success.
“This is why all of our focus in the team is on George and Kimi, and that’s what I also said. There’s no discussion, there’s no second thoughts about what we are doing in 2026, because now it’s about 2024 and 2025.”
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Since this fiery exchange, Horner has been dismissed by Red Bull amid an investigation into alleged inappropriate conduct and internal team tensions.
The British boss was succeeded by Laurent Mekies, with Max Verstappen sitting third in the Drivers’ Championship, whilst Red Bull occupied fourth place in the Constructors’ standings heading to Singapore.
Meanwhile, Mercedes sit second only to the red-hot McLaren outfit in the battle of the teams, with Russell trailing Verstappen by just 43 points in the charts.
The 27-year-old has yet to put pen to paper on fresh terms with the Silver Arrows, making him the most prominent driver without a guaranteed drive for 2026 – though Wolff insists this new agreement is simply “a formality.”
Speaking about his potential deal with Mercedes, Russell said: “I think for any driver, when you get to a certain point in your career, things have be done right.
“Every time you renew a contract it’s the most important one of of your life, and it has to be done with good care. There’s nothing to worry about. It will get done.”
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