(Motorsport-Total.com) – Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has a divided opinion on a potential return of his former Red Bull arch-rival Christian Horner to Formula 1.
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Wolff says he is “torn” about the prospect of facing his old adversary again. Since his dismissal from Red Bull last July, Horner has been working behind the scenes with investor groups on the right opportunity for a comeback. His goal: a minority stake to be firmly in the saddle in his new team.
A return for Horner – the main architect behind Red Bull’s two eras of dominance – would most likely reignite the bitter rivalry with his Mercedes counterpart Wolff. The two have regularly crossed swords over the past ten years as their teams fought for the world championship.
Wolff: “The evil is gone”
Asked by the Press Association how he felt about a return for Horner, Wolff replied: “I’m torn. The sport lacks personalities. And his personality was clearly very controversial, which is good for the sport. I said to [Ferrari team principal] Frederic Vasseur that it needs ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’. And now only ‘the Good’ and ‘the Ugly’ are left. ‘The Bad’ is gone.”
But Wolff does not hold back with criticism of Horner’s manner: “He has broken quite a lot of porcelain, and these things have repercussions in our microcosm. When you say things, but that’s what he’s done his whole life, and that’s what he does best.”
Alpine entry? No trick against Horner
Horner’s name was recently linked with a 24 percent minority stake in Alpine, which current owner Otro Capital wants to sell. It recently became known that Mercedes is also among those interested in these shares. Wolff denies that this is a tactical maneuver to block Horner’s return.
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“The fact that we are looking at this stake has no connection with Christian,” Wolff clarifies. “The idea that there is a rivalry between Christian and me over who buys an Alpine stake is fabricated. It would be quite sad if that were a consideration for or against such an investment. We are looking at it from different angles and have not yet reached a conclusion. We want to know if it makes sense.”
“Even your worst enemy has a best friend”
Wolff emphasizes that he still respects Horner’s achievements with Red Bull. However, he finds it difficult to imagine a scenario in which the two could become unlikely allies after everything that has happened – especially after the bitter title fight in 2021.
“Would I consider that he could ever be an ally or someone pursuing the same goals? I don’t think so,” says the Austrian. “But even when I had the greatest frustration and anger towards him, you have to realize that even your worst enemy has a best friend – so there must be something good.”
Finally, Wolff shows himself to be conciliatory, albeit distant: “If this competitive rivalry hadn’t existed for so many years, and more water had gone under the bridge, I’m sure I could have sat at dinner with him and laughed. In those years it was just too intense, too fierce, and things happened where to this day I can’t understand why he did them.”
“I certainly wish him no ill. And we have to give each other credit. There are not many team principals who have achieved what he has achieved. I see a situation where I am at peace with everything – whatever happens, whatever the results may be, and whether he returns to Formula 1 or not.”