Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has reignited his Toto Wolff-related banter by poking fun at the Austrian’s racing career in a direct comparison with his own.
Horner had spent his early years in International Formula 3000 with Arden International and as a result of limited success on the track, chose to make a move to management of the team in 1998.
Before that, Wolff had also started his racing career in Germany, having turned out at the Austrian and german Formula Ford.
It is fair to say that neither of them enjoyed too much success on the track and their decision to move into management was a game-changer.
Today, they are regarded as two of the finest team principals to have graced the sport.
Horner has helped deliver six drivers’ and five constructors’ championships during his time at Red Bull.
Meanwhile, Wolff has overseen eight consecutive constructors’ championships between 2014 and 2021 at Mercedes.
Horner was quizzed about whether having the experience of racing himself helped in terms of management of the team.
The Red Bull boss was just not able to resist the temptation of taking a savage swipe at his Austrian counterpart, claiming that while he raced, Wolff only ‘took part’.
“I raced, Toto only took part, and of course it gives you an insight to the emotions that the driver goes through and some of the challenges,” Horner said.
“It’s quite a lonely place sitting in that cockpit and when you look out, you want to feel you have a team that believes in you, that they’ve got your back and that inspires confidence.
“I think for me that was the key thing that I took out of my driving time and having driven for good teams and not-so-good teams – it was all about the people in the end.
“I think like in any business it’s all about people and how they work together.”
Horner explained how his people skills helped him succeed as a team principal.
“Personally I just enjoy working with people – trying to get the best out of them and working collectively as a team, setting clear goals and objectives. Just listening and trying to help them,” he said.
“I am not a qualified engineer, I am an ex-driver. I have never been on a management training course in my life and for me it’s about how you empower people, how you give them that confidence, how you give them clear guidance of what’s needed to work collectively as a group.”
