Mercedes crew principal Toto Wolff believes Components 1 will miss his former reverse quantity at Purple Bull, Christian Horner, who he described as was “one of many foremost solid” of personalities within the sport.
Horner (pictured at left, above, with Wolff) was eliminated of his tasks as crew principal and CEO simply over two weeks in the past, with this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix the primary race in Purple Bull’s historical past when he hasn’t been in control of the crew. Wolff usually clashed with Horner as Mercedes and Purple Bull battled on monitor, however says his former rival’s character can be missed.
“In a manner, sure [I will miss him], he was one of many foremost solid,” Wolff instructed Sky Sports activities. “To begin with, I do not assume he is gone eternally. I believe he is gonna pop up in some type of different faction. I have to be cautious. He may very well be rocking up within the FIA after which I am actually within the s**t. You by no means know!
“He was any person that was controversial, that was polarizing … that was good from the leisure issue, and from that perspective he is clearly going to be missed. His monitor file speaks for himself.
“No [I’ve not contacted him], not but. I didn’t discover it applicable in the interim, however I actually will.”
Wolff additionally famous that his discussions with Max Verstappen over a possible transfer to Mercedes sooner or later didn’t play a task in Horner’s dismissal, as he pointed to longer-term curiosity even when the Dutchman stays with Purple Bull for 2026.
“No. I believe there’s rather more within the background that we most likely don’t know with Purple Bull the mothership and the entire constellation,” he mentioned. “Taking care of drivers, in my place as crew principal of Mercedes I want to seek out out, I must discover what Max goes to do within the subsequent few years – not solely subsequent 12 months.
“I believe drivers will all the time search the quickest automotive. Rather more than any financial incentives, it’s about being within the quickest automotive and analyzing that. It’s what Max and all of the others will all the time do.”
