Wolff Horner "abusive" rivalry was "fuel" for Netflix - Hill

Ewan Gale
Tuesday 15 March 2022 11:44

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill has downplayed the "abusive" rivalry between Christian Horner and Toto Wolff by suggesting the bickering was "acting" for Netflix series Drive to Survive.

The Red Bull and Mercedes team principals were engaged in a political battle off track that was as ferocious as the on-track fighting between drivers Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

At times, the sly digs turned into insults although there was a ceremonial scripted handshake during the FIA press conference ahead of the season-finale in Abu Dhabi.

Drive to Survive returned to Netflix for season 4 last week with last year's fierce rivalry documented, but speaking to Express Sport, 1996 champion Hill believes parts of the fighting were for television purposes.

"The way Netflix has promoted what we do in F1 to a wider audience has been phenomenal," said Hill.

"It has changed the terrain quite a lot.

"First of all, the character was [Haas team principal] Guenther Steiner, and it looks like Toto and Christian want to get in on the act.

"I think they’ve tried to provide fuel for the show."

Addressing the insults from last year, with Wolff memorably calling Horner a "windbag" in Azerbaijan, Hill added: "I thought it got a little bit unseemly at times last year. I hope it was mostly acting. I don’t think it did us any favours that they were being quite abusive.

"Toto has come out and said he regrets that he let it get to that point.

"This was a theme of last year, the way Red Bull were on full attack mode. They’re a very effective competitor and they don’t take prisoners."