Horner unhappy with politics: 'There's a lot going on behind the scenes'

Christian Horner has been at odds with Toto Wolff on several occasions this year. However, Horner states that it is not a personal attack on his competitor, but mainly comes from the will to win and he defends his team at all costs.

Battle with Wolff

Horner and Wolff have had a good relationship in recent years, but this year it's becoming increasingly difficult. Wolff has criticised Horner or Red Bull Racing on several occasions and Horner has also done the same to Red Bull Racing. It makes for a tense atmosphere in an already exciting season.

''I have no issue with Toto but we are very different people. I tend to be quite straight and quite direct, that’s the way I’ve always operated. He operates in a different way but I have a lot of respect for what he’s done'', Horner is at The Guardian respectful of Wolff.

''It’s a competition and compared to the championship years when we were competing with Ferrari and McLaren from 2010 to 2013 this has been very different. There is an awful lot more going on behind the scenes, constant campaigning of the FIA with all aspects of our car.''

Political games from Mercedes

Horner is annoyed that Mercedes are constantly sounding the alarm at the FIA. Because of this, the duel is more about the political games than the action on track. Mercedes for example managed to get a new test done for the rear wing (the one from Red Bull would move) and also the rules for the pitstops were changed.

Horner, therefore, states that his reactions are not necessarily meant to be offensive, but mainly to defend his team. ''You have to defend yourself if you come under attack as we have from the very beginning of the year – whether it was the concept of the aerodynamics with the FIA to pit stops to other aspects of the chassis, you name it'', concludes the team boss of Max Verstappen.