Toto Wolff lashes Christian Horner as "a windbag who wants to be on camera" as war of words continues

Christian Horner and Toto Wolff in conversation — Photo: © LAT Images

Azerbaijan Grand Prix

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Wolff lashes Horner as "a windbag who wants to be on camera" as war of words continues

Mercedes and Red Bull team principals have become engaged in a verbal battle

Ian Parkes

Saturday 5 June 2021 13:34

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has described Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner as "a bit of windbag who wants to be on camera" as the war of words escalated between the duo in Azerbaijan.

The row has been sparked by the flexi-wing debate, culminating in Horner suggesting to Wolff after Friday practice that he should 'keep his mouth shut' and be 'careful what he wished for'.

Wolff has now responded in kind. Asked by Sky Sports F1 whether he was aware of Horner's remarks, Wolff said: "Christian is a bit of a windbag who wants to be on camera.

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"It's about being punchy and it's easy to be punchy when you're top of the timesheet, but you should be a little more modest, I think."

As to whether a protest was still possible over the flexing of the Red Bull rear-wing that has caused such a furore, Wolff added: "The topic remains open."

Pointedly, he said: "The last one taken out with front-wing flex was Red Bull, I think it was in 2014, so they've a little bit of a track record there.

"You just have to get on with things."

Mercedes "calm" in face of struggles

Around the Baku City Circuit Mercedes' struggles from Monaco have continued, with the team left 'scratching its heads' according to Hamilton in the wake of the two Friday practice sessions.

Hamilton concluded final practice third quickest, albeit aided by a tow from Red Bull's Sergio Perez without which the seven-time F1 champion would likely have been as low as 10th on the timesheet.

Despite the issues, Wolff said: "We've been experimenting a lot because we started not in a position we wanted to be, and then worked through the programme, added some other exercises and lots of learning.

"We haven't got the quickest car here by far but we're going to put something on the track for qualifying that's going to be better.

"It's all about aero balance. It's pretty difficult to describe, and then accommodating the tyres, which means having the front and rear axle in an operating window that works.

"[But] The team is in such a good place. You should have heard the composure after the [final practice] session, it's calm, it's working through the exercises line by line that we wanted to do.

"There is nobody nervous because this car is quick. We have seen that."