Horner: Masterclass shows Verstappen unfazed by Toto call

Christian Horner says Max Verstappen's scintillating drive in a chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix shows that Toto Wolff’s call to his father Jos to rein him in “did not have too much of an impact”.

The Mercedes motorsport boss admitted over the Interlagos weekend that he had warned Verstappen Snr about the danger of his son racing title contenders Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

Red Bull team principal Horner was fuming upon hearing the news, as he felt Wolff was stepping over the line. The Mercedes chief later clarified his comments, calling them a non-story while also explaining that his remarks had been made “out of sympathy” for the Dutch teenager.

Verstappen went on to drive a cracking race in wet-weather conditions, making a number of sensational overtakes, including a daring move on the outside of Rosberg at Turn 3.

“I wondered if Toto might be sending anybody a text after that, or calling anybody, but it was a great move and demonstrated that Toto’s phone call didn’t have too much of an impact on how Max does his motor racing,” Horner said.

When asked to comment on Verstappen’s star performance, Wolff was quick to heap praise on the 19-year-old, whose wet-weather skills have already drawn comparisons to former rain masters Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher.

“The Verstappen show! It was really unbelievable driving, great entertainment. Physics are being redefined.”

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