Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff regrets “unprofessional” exchanges with Red Bull’s Christian Horner

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff claims to have regretted the “unprofessional” comments he made towards Red Bull, particularly its team principal Christian Horner, early last season. The Austrian feels that the “heated” comments the pair made towards each other in the media amidst the intense championship battle probably could have been avoided.

Speaking in an interview with Dutch magazine Formule 1, Wolff said:

“I really regret it. I always try to stay professional, approach things professionally. However, it got very personal between the two of us at some point. At one point he told me to shut up. Then I responded by saying he was a windbag and talked too much for the cameras.”

The incident that Wolff is referring to is from the British Grand Prix weekend when their public spat reached a new low. The Mercedes exec further said:

“I shouldn’t have said that because it’s a professional relationship and you know that even your worst enemy has a best friend. You have to respect that person, even if you fight a hard duel.”

Wolff says he came to his senses after his wife Susie urged him to remain dignified and act professionally.

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Toto Wolff’s “regrettable” actions that made Mercedes lose face in 2021

For much of his career at the helm of one of the most successful teams in F1, Toto Wolff has remained uncontroversial. The Mercedes team principal had a reputation for a no-nonsense approach to racing and mostly chose to remain behind the scenes while letting his team do the talking on the track.

Wolff’s demeanor, however, particularly with the media and in the Mercedes garage during races, has had a marked shift over the last two seasons. As the title battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen intensified last year, Wolff would increasingly go on the offensive during interviews.

Furthermore, his “antics” during races while seated at the Mercedes garage has had some fans amused, while drawing criticism from an equal number of people.

During the British Grand Prix, when Verstappen crashed out after making contact with Hamilton, Wolff infamously tried to defend his driver by “sending an email” to race director Michael Masi with drawings of racing lines.

Wolff has also been seen displaying outbursts of emotion during races, pointing aggressively at TV cameras in Brazil after Hamilton’s spectacular recovery and smashing up his headphones at the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after the Briton's title loss.

Many have pointed out that Wolff's increasingly erratic actions may have been due to the absence of former adviser Niki Lauda, who passed away in 2019. Wolff’s antics on the radio have also been attributed as a “publicity stunt”, while some have accused him of trying to influence race direction. Nevertheless, team principals won’t be able to communicate directly with race control from the upcoming season onwards.