The Mercedes and Red Bull teams locked horns in the 2021 world title race. Lewis Hamilton, who had led the points table throughout the season, was defeated by a young Dutch racer. A controversial penultimate race crowned Max Verstappen the World Champion. Meanwhile, Mercedes has been left fuming with the alleged unjust decision. However, the fire subsided over time as the Silver Arrows’ performance went downhill.
While the on-track rivalry simmers, the off-track verbal exchanges heat up to a boiling point. Red Bull has mocked the German Marque for its slump. On the other hand, the Brackley-based outfit never misses a chance to troll RBR’s internal chaos. However, Max Verstappen has always been the focal point for all the verbal clashes.
“I Don’t See Toto’s Car Performing Today,” Red Bull Chief Fires Shot At Wolff’s Verstappen Pursuit
Max Verstappen has been on Toto Wolff’s radar since his early racing days. However, the Milton Keynes-based outfit was quick enough to cash in on a young, talented driver. As a result, “not signing” Verstappen has been the biggest regret of Wolff’s career. Meanwhile, the Dutchman has been enjoying his throne at RBR, winning three consecutive world titles. Despite Verstappen affirming his future with the Bulls, Wolff openly expresses his desire to work with the triple champion. This is the biggest reason for verbal spats between the two astute bosses, as the war seems never-ending. The latest episode of this battle started with the Austrian executive making yet another remark about Verstappen’s Mercedes move. Moreover, he claimed the Dutchman will cross paths with his team in the future, especially with the imminent power unit revamp. Further, Wolff also confirmed that he shares a good relationship with the Verstappen clan as he continues pursuing his dream of hiring the RBR starlet.
On the other hand, Horner is least affected by these remarks as he is confident about Verstappen’s future with the squad. The Briton highlighted the contract, which lasts till 2028. Therefore, it is all about RBR delivering a fast car. Meanwhile, he pointed out Mercedes’ poor run in Zandvoort. It was because the 26-year-old racer clarified that performance is the biggest factor affecting his future decision. Thus, compared to Mercedes, the Austrian contributors’ did a much better job. While the RBR duo finished at P2 & P6, the Silver Arrows had to settle with P7 & P8. However, when they again asked about Verstappen’s contract, Horner said 28 is a long way. Therefore, the team will only focus on developing a quick F1 car. Ultimately, he claimed the ‘performance clause’ is not on their priority list. They’ll continue to work on the car, as that’s the only way to keep the situation under control.
Horner Claims “Work To Do” For Red Bull As Norris Snatches Victory From The Home Hero
However, talking about performance, Verstappen had a disappointing end to his home GP despite a strong start. Hence, Horner highlighted the damage limitation during his interaction with ViaPlay. The Briton appreciated Norris’ late charge, which left Verstappen puzzled. Moreover, he accepted the lack of pace and the excess downforce as the reason for this defeat.
This is only the fourth time the points gap between Norris and Verstappen has been reduced. Therefore, the RBR chief asserted that the team needs to continue scoring more points. The Briton, 50, wants his team to at least finish second, even on dreary days.