Wolff brands Horner "naughty" after trip to stewards

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff branded Christian Horner "naughty" after visiting the stewards for his criticism of a marshal ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix.

When Pierre Gasly suffered a front wing failure and puncture at the close of qualifying on Saturday, yellow flags were initially shown before the track returned briefly to green and then reverted to double-waved yellows.

Under single-waved yellows, a driver must be prepared to change direction but under the more severe double-waved scenario a driver must be prepared to stop.

For his failure to abide by the flags on display, Verstappen was handed a five-place grid drop leading to an irate Horner labelling the marshal waving the flags as a "rogue marshal".

Horner also described the situation as a "balls-up" and suggested the FIA should have "control" over its volunteers.

“I think that there is a lot at stake and you always need to…in a way I don’t even want to comment on him because we are all responsible for what we say and what we do," said Wolff.

"[We all] have our own pressures and that is certainly very high."

With a grin, Wolff added: "I haven’t even heard or read what he said, only that he was naughty.”

For his words, Horner received an official warning but escaped any further punishment after offering "to apologise to the marshal concerned and to explain to the media that he meant no offence" and "to participate in the 2022 FIA International Stewards Programme in early February."

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