Fabien Le Floc’h, Media365: published on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 10:40 p.m.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has not appreciated comments made by his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner regarding his driver George Russell.
While the title race is in full swing as the Formula 1 season approaches, it is not just the duel between Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Lando Norris (McLaren) that is animating the paddock. The teams are looking to secure their drivers for 2025 and the game of musical chairs continues since the announcement of Lewis Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes to join Ferrari next season. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner directly mentioned the name of the other Mercedes driver, George Russell.after the Singapore GP last weekend, to support Max Verstappen. “We are not afraid to come out of the woodwork,” he told Sky Sports. George Russell is out of contract at the end of next year. It would be stupid to ignore this.. There are other drivers, also very talented, who will be at the end of their contracts.”
“He’s always stirring shit”
An exit far from having been appreciated by the director of Mercedes, Toto Wolff, who was already far from carrying Horner in his heart before these statements. “I think he is always stirring up shit, it’s part of the game. George is a Mercedes driver, he always has been and I hope he always will be.he retorted. We have a long-term contract with him.” The two teams have been engaged in a real battle behind the scenes in recent months, since Toto Wolff had already mentioned an interest in Max Verstappen, whose situation remains uncertain at Red Bull.
To cope with the departure of Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes has chosen to place its trust in young driver Andrea Kimi Antonelliwho has never raced in Formula 1. Aged 18, the Italian is presented as one of the most promising drivers of his generation and seems set to embody the future of the German team, which has never fought for the title this season.
