Horner hits back at Russell: Focus on your own issues, stop the acting
In a dramatic turn of events during the 2024 Formula 1 season, Christian Horner, the Red Bull Racing team principal, has once again taken aim at George Russell. The tension between Red Bull and Mercedes has been escalating, and Horner’s latest comments regarding Russell’s allegations have added fuel to the fire. Following Russell’s claim that Red Bull’s engineers were sending CVs to Mercedes, Horner has now suggested that the Mercedes driver should focus on his own team’s problems rather than making accusations about Red Bull’s personnel.
The Stirring Feud: Russell vs. Verstappen
The rivalry between George Russell and Max Verstappen has been one of the most talked-about aspects of the 2024 Formula 1 season. The drama began to unfold at the Qatar Grand Prix, where Verstappen received a one-place grid penalty after Russell raised concerns about the Dutchman’s driving during a cooldown lap. Russell described Verstappen’s actions as “dangerous” and called for the penalty, which ultimately cost Verstappen pole position.
However, the story didn’t end there. Verstappen, clearly frustrated by the penalty, voiced his anger in a media session after the race, declaring that he had “lost all respect” for Russell, accusing him of “screwing him over.” The animosity reached a boiling point before the drivers’ parade on race day, with Russell claiming that Verstappen had threatened him, saying, “I’ll put you on your f**king head in the wall.”
But the drama didn’t stop with harsh words. The true controversy came when Russell made some explosive claims about Verstappen’s engineering team. The Mercedes driver suggested that after a race in Budapest, where Verstappen collided with his teammate Lewis Hamilton, 25% of the Dutchman’s engineering staff sent their CVs to other teams like Mercedes, McLaren, and Aston Martin. Russell insinuated that Verstappen’s behavior was so toxic that his own team members were looking for a way out.
Christian Horner’s Rebuttal: “Worry About Your Own Team”
In a fiery response to Russell’s comments, Christian Horner wasted no time defending Red Bull and its staff. Addressing the allegations head-on, Horner made it clear that he wasn’t concerned about the claims made by Russell. Instead, he suggested that Russell had bigger concerns to address within his own team, Mercedes.
Horner pointed out that all of Red Bull’s key personnel, including Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, are on long-term contracts, making it highly unlikely that anyone would be looking to leave the team. He added, “If you look at people like Lambiase and the key members of the engineering team, they are all on long-term contracts. So, I don’t know who George thinks is offering their services to Mercedes.”
He also remarked that the Mercedes driver should focus on resolving the issues within his own team instead of commenting on Red Bull’s operations. “I’d be more worried about other issues if I was George,” Horner quipped, dismissing Russell’s insinuations as nothing more than baseless accusations.
The Bigger Picture: Why the Tension Exists
Horner’s words come as part of a broader rivalry between Red Bull and Mercedes, which has intensified following the team’s domination of the 2023 Formula 1 season. In that season, Red Bull annihilated the competition, winning 22 of 23 races. Mercedes, once the dominant force in Formula 1, has been struggling to match Red Bull’s performance, and the ongoing rivalry between the two teams has made headlines both on and off the track.
Horner reflected on Red Bull’s success, explaining that the higher a team rises, the more likely they are to face attacks from rivals. He acknowledged that the pressure of being at the top creates a target on Red Bull’s back, which leads to other teams attempting to destabilize the team’s efforts.
“When you dominate like we did in 2023, the knives get sharper. Other teams will use whatever tools they have to try and destabilize what has been a hugely successful team,” Horner said, emphasizing that the media and rival teams will always try to exploit any potential cracks in Red Bull’s armor.
Mercedes’ Allegations: A Familiar Story
The allegations made by Russell are not the first time that Mercedes has claimed Red Bull is losing personnel. Earlier in 2024, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff suggested that many Red Bull engineers were sending CVs to his team. Wolff’s comments came after an investigation into Christian Horner’s alleged inappropriate behavior toward a Red Bull staff member, an investigation in which Horner was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing.
Even McLaren’s CEO, Zak Brown, added fuel to the fire, claiming that his team had seen an “increase in CVs coming our way from Red Bull.” Horner responded sharply, saying that while other teams were focusing on hiring Red Bull personnel, his team had taken over 200 people from Mercedes’ High Performance Powertrains division to build Red Bull’s own engine project, Red Bull Powertrains.
“We’ve taken 220 people from Mercedes High Performance Powertrains into Red Bull Powertrains,” Horner said. “So, when we talk about losing people, I’d be more worried about the 220 than one or two CVs.”
What’s at Stake for Red Bull and Mercedes?
The growing tension between Red Bull and Mercedes is more than just a war of words; it’s a battle for supremacy in Formula 1. With Red Bull enjoying unparalleled success, other teams, especially Mercedes, are scrambling to catch up. The increasing number of rumors surrounding personnel shifts and internal strife at Red Bull are a clear indication that the competition is keen to destabilize the team in any way possible.
Horner, however, remains unfazed by the outside noise. Red Bull’s focus is on continuing their dominance, and he has made it clear that the team will not be distracted by such allegations. With the 2024 season showing no signs of slowing down, the rivalry between Red Bull and Mercedes promises to remain at the forefront of the F1 drama.
