Horner lashes out at Wolff: 'FIA e-mail inbox needs a big clean-up'

The Mercedes team were undoubtedly hoping to increase their lead after racing at tracks that are usually favoured by the Brackley-based team. At Monza, however, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton both crashed out, and in Sochi, the Dutchman started from the back of the grid but managed to park his RB16B next to Hamilton's at the bottom of the podium. No doubt to the frustration of the Brit who leads the championship by two points.

Things have also been tough off the track this season, especially between Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his Red Bull Racing counterpart Christian Horner. Horner thinks Hamilton has seen his best days: "He's fighting to become the most successful driver of all time, he's the defending champion. Time never stands still and Lewis has achieved so much a phenomenal champion, but there will always be the next generation."

According to Horner, it is time for a changing of the guard: "Max is 23, he has many years ahead of him, and at the beginning of this season he was the outsider. He just enjoys it, the racing, the challenge, and he has the advantage of youth. Lewis likes to play psychological games and Max doesn't bite. Max is the type of guy whose life revolves around racing, and when he's not racing on the track, he's racing online. Lewis leads a very different life," the Brit told Independent.

Sneer at Wolff

The Red Bull team boss can't help but sneer at Wolff as well. According to Horner, the battle this year is so political because of his colleague from Mercedes: "This feels much more political with much more going on behind the scenes. The inbox from Toto to the FIA, they're going to need a big clean up at the end of the year. Toto has never been in a position where he was challenged. He inherited a very competitive team from Ross Brawn and he's done a great job of keeping that going, but this is the first time he's had this kind of pressure and people react to pressure in different ways."