Mercedes team principal and CEO Toto Wolff admitted that he would miss Christian Horner “in a way,” and joked that if he returns to Formula 1 with the FIA, then he would be “really in the s**t”.
Horner was replaced in his role as Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal on 9 July by Laurent Mekies, who stepped up from Racing Bulls.
Wolff and Horner have not always seen eye-to-eye, and many will remember some of the most viral moments from Netflix’s Drive to Survive series between the pair – predominantly from the end of the 2021 F1 season and the start of 2022.
Although the two team chiefs had a fierce rivalry at the track, Wolff explained that he would miss the Briton “in a way” and suggested that he is likely to make a return to the paddock in some capacity.
“In a way yes [I will miss him],” Wolff explained to Sky Sports F1 in Belgium. “He was one of the main casts. I don’t think he’s gone forever, he could pop up in some other function. I need to be careful, he could rock up in the FIA, then I’m really in the s***.
“He was someone that was controversial, polarising and not soft-washed. That was good from the entertainment factor and from that perspective he will be missed. His track record speaks for itself.”
Wolff had been holding talks with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for a potential driver contract in 2026. The rumours of the four-time champion eyeing an exit from the Milton Keynes outfit increased ahead of Horner’s departure, but Wolff insists that it would not have influenced Red Bull’s decision to replace the team chief.
Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
“No. There is much more in the background that we probably don’t know with Red Bull. Looking after drivers, in my position as team principal of Mercedes, I need to explore what Max is going to do in the next few years, not only next year.”
Wolff has since confirmed that his priority for Mercedes is to retain George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli for 2026.
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