'What Red Bull and Horner are doing is really smart'

Mercedes and Red Bull Racing are not only battling it out on track this season but behind the scenes as well. After the Austrians decided to acquire Ben Hodgkinson, the team added five more names. Toto Wolff is confident in Red Bull's project.

The Mercedes team boss would prefer not to see his direct rival get any stronger, but Wolff cannot deny that Red Bull has been smart in recent times. Given that it is going to start its own engine department next year and bring Honda's knowledge with it, Red Bull is expected to get closer to Mercedes again. "This is a win-win situation, actually you don't lose," states Wolff in conversation with Formul1.de.

Wolff notes that Red Bull has a clear strategy in mind to make things even more difficult for Mercedes in the coming years. "What Red Bull and Christian are doing is really smart. Namely, on the one hand, relying on your own strengths and setting up an engine division, while being able to fall back on the know-how and intellectual property of Honda."

On the track, the battle is still fully underway. Of the first four races, Lewis Hamilton won three times, while Max Verstappen also took home a victory. In Monaco, the Dutchman hopes to have another chance at the top spot.