“He has not had to build anything” – Christian Horner Throws Shade at Toto Wolff’s Contribution at Mercedes F1

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has taken a swipe at rival Toto Wolff ahead of testing in Bahrain. The duo has had numerous run-ins in the past which have worsened their relationship in recent times. Horner will be looking to win the team’s first Constructors’ title since 2013 this season.

Horner believes that Wolff was fortunate after taking over the reins at Mercedes in 2013. In a snippet of Netflix’s Drive to Survive, he said, “What you have to remember about Toto is he has inherited something that is already well-oil.”

“He has not had to build anything and operates the team in a much different way to me. He is much more motivated by the financials of F1 than perhaps the competition.”

WATCH: F1 Fans Grab Their Popcorn as Netflix Releases Thrilling Drive to Survive Trailer

The pair will feature heavily in the new season of the show after a scintillating battle at the top. Red Bull and Mercedes fought tooth and nail, where finally Max Verstappen edged his rival Lewis Hamilton to the crown. However, the Silver Arrows will be looking to seek revenge for the controversial loss in Abu Dhabi last year.

Mercedes filed two appeals to the FIA after the race, after race director Michael Masi’s late call in the race. Masi allowed lapped cars to overtake leader Hamilton with a few laps to go, allowing Verstappen to close in on fresher tires and overtake Hamilton in the final lap. The appeals were rejected, but a new restructuring by the FIA saw Masi removed as race director.

Toto Wolff Responds to Christian Horner Comments

Wolff, who has won 8 successive Constructors’ titles with Mercedes, has hit back at Horner. In an interview, he is quoted saying, “I don’t care what others are doing. It’s about optimising my contribution in the team without looking elsewhere.”

The 50-year-old will be gearing up for another challenging season versus the Bulls. Despite the team narrowly missing out on the Drivers’ title, they continued their dominance as a team. Moreover, the new W13 has shown signs of being one of the fastest cars on the grid in 2022.

READ MORE: In Pictures: Mercedes Pulls Up to Bahrain Without Sidepods on Radical F1 Challenger

It is too early to call who will be a dominant force in 2022. However, we can all agree that this season is set to be ever so unpredictable.