Christian Horner believes Toto Wolff and Mercedes have had it “quite easy” in Formula 1 since his departure from Red Bull.
F1’s latest era has seen Mercedes reclaim the top spot as the W17 quickly became the benchmark of the field under the all-new power unit and chassis regulations.
After having dominated the turbo-hybrid era, the Brackley-based team’s run of success was stalled by Red Bull and Max Verstappen. 2026 seems to be the year that Mercedes can claim its first F1 title since 2021.
That said, Horner believes Wolff is simply cruising as the Austrian now finds himself without a ‘proper rival’ since the Briton’s Red Bull dismissal.
“Toto’s got it quite easy at the moment,” he told The Guardian.
“Zak Brown is compromised because he’s using Toto’s engine, so he can’t ruffle feathers.
“All sport needs rivalry, whether it’s Ferguson and Wenger, Mourinho and Guardiola. It percolates and polarises. I used that to galvanise good people to take on Mercedes.”
Christian Horner delivers Ferrari clarity with F1 future update
Ever since his paddock departure, Horner has been chasing a way back into the sport.
Recently, while speaking to The Times, the former Red Bull CEO and Team Principal had hinted at a possible inclination towards Ferrari.
This spiralled into incessant speculation about Fred Vasseur’s future at the iconic Italian team.
And as Ferrari firmly stood by the Frenchman, Horner has now clarified his stance about a potential ploy for the hot seat at Maranello.
“Fred Vasseur is an experienced guy. He’s done a decent job. But I, more than anyone, know the pressures of running a competitive organisation. My comments got taken out of context,” Horner said.
“Ferrari is the biggest brand in F1. It’s the most historic team. But I’ve accumulated some phenomenal capital behind me, to look at the next move I potentially make in the sport.
“That would be with ownership attached to it and Ferrari aren’t going to sell shares. So I’m happy to sit outside the sport and see what opportunities present themselves over the coming months or years.
“It’s not a prerequisite that I go back. I would only return for the right opportunity with like-minded people that want to win. I would never go back just to take part.”
Horner is heavily linked with a potential collaboration with Chinese EV giant BYD for a speculative entry onto the grid in the future.
READ MORE – Christian Horner lays bare ‘hurt’ of missing out on crucial Red Bull history
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