Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has taken aim once again at his Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff, describing the latter as a tax exile running his team "remotely".
The rivalry on the track last year between Red Bull and Mercedes that reached its controversial conclusion in Abu Dhabi was mirrored all season long by an equally competitive relationship between Horner and Wolff.
The intensity of one of Formula 1's tightest championship battles of all time meant that the pair were at each other's throats in 2021, although the wrangling dissipated somewhat in the latter part of the season.
Both men have vowed to move on from their "brutal" 2021 rivalry, but Horner is showing little intent to reset the relationship.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, the Red Bull chief, who is often derided by F1 fans on social media, offered a rather disparaging but also overblown depiction of Wolff when asked to explain how the two men differ in their approach to managing their F1 outfit.
"We are very different," stated Horner. "If I'm not at the racetrack, I'm in the factory. I'm not living as a tax exile in Monaco, running a team remotely.
"I am hands-on. My diary is full from the moment I arrive to the moment I leave, dealing with issues within the team. I have very much an open-door policy.
"I grew up in the sport. I was a race driver that turned my hand to running a team. I'm a racer at heart.
"Toto has come from a very different background. He has a financial background and is very driven by what the balance sheet says. Results dictate that performance.
"Does he share the same passion as a racer? I have no idea. Will he be here in 10 years' time or will he have cashed in and be on his super yacht? I have no idea."
©Instagram/SusieWolff
While taking down Wolff in no uncertain terms, Horner also claims that he holds the Mercedes team boss in high respect given his track record, also insisting that the Austrian isn't "a bad guy".
"My relationship with Toto is… you know, it’s professional," added Horner.
"He’s not the kind of guy I’m going to go and have dinner with or spend private time with, but I have a respect for what he’s done and what he’s achieved.
"Of course, as far as I’m concerned, 2021 is done and dusted. It’s now all about 2022. Will he be the main opponent this year? I have no idea.
"Do I like him? I have no personal issue with Toto. He’s the kind of guy that bites quite easy, so it’s always fun to wind him up a bit. But he’s not a bad guy, that’s for sure."
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