Toto Wolff has reopened old wounds with Christian Horner in the build-up to this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix by criticising his rival’s response to the FIA’s short-lived conflict-of-interest inquiry into his relationship with wife Susie. The Mercedes F1 team principal described his Red Bull counterpart as someone whose word could “not be relied upon”.
The FIA’s compliance department announced last Christmas that it was investigating a potential conflict of interest between Wolff and his wife, who is managing director of F1 Academy as well as being a former Formula One test driver. It was alleged that an unnamed team principal had raised complaints.
The announcement prompted an immediate backlash from eight of the 10 teams, according to Wolff. “I didn’t make a single phone call to any team,” Wolff told The Guardian. “Fred [Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal] took it into his hands and said: ‘This is just so unfair’.
“From [former Haas team principal] Guenther Steiner to [Williams team principal] James Vowles everybody jumped on to this. They were all ready, but for Christian, to sign a document in our support.”
Wolff went on to explain that Horner had initially refused to sign the document, saying he was going to do his own Sky Sports F1 interview on the matter.
“The other nine teams said: ‘Fine’. But obviously he was advised that wouldn’t look great and he should be part of the statement,” Wolff said. “In the second iteration, he tried to get the word ‘official’ in the statement.
“He wanted a note to say that no one [among the team principals] officially complained to the FIA.
“The other teams said: ‘Fine. We do our declaration and you do your own’. In the end, he signed it.”
Asked whether he had talked to Horner about it, Wolff said: “No. I don’t think you can rely on what he says.”
Red Bull have been approached for a comment.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is closing in on his fourth successive drivers’ championship in Las Vegas. The Dutch driver will secure the title with two rounds of the season still remaining if he beats McLaren’s Lando Norris on Saturday night.
