Furious Wolff interferes in Verstappen-Russell saga: 'How dare you!'
F1 News
Christian Horner reffered to George Russell as being histerycal during the Steward's briefing following the Mercedes driver's incident with Max Verstappen during the Qatar Grand Prix Qualifying. Unorthodoxly, Toto Wolff joined in the Russell's paddock interview in Abu Dhabi to reply to his rival's comment's on his driver.
Did Horner do a poor job with Verstappen-Russell squabble?
Russell did not leave any stone unturned as he "set the record straight" to various media, including GPBlog, in Abu Dhabi following Verstappen's statements in his respects, while Mercedes team boss most uncommonly joined in as well to lash out at the Red Bull team principal, Horner, for his role in the Russell-Verstappen saga. "As a team principal it's important to be a sparring partner for your drivers and that means explaining that things can be more nuanced", the Austrian opened.
"Statements that are absolutistic, thinking that everything is either right, 100% right or 100% wrong, just something I think you need to explain. Think in one nuance, depending from your perception and your perspective. You need to allow for something to be 51-49. You need to allow it to be 70-30. So there's always another side", suggesting that a more tepid approach from Horner might have been advised to de-escalate the situation and not let it reach such heights.
"Maybe when you look at it that way, and you explain it to the drivers and to your team, you come to the conclusion that there is truth on both sides. If you don't do that, you're failing short of your role. Just weak. One second, I'm not finished yet. It's just weak. Why does he feel entitled to comment about my driver? How does that come? But you know, thinking about it, I spent 90 seconds to think about it. Yapping little terrier. Always something to say".
Wolff is furious: "How dare you!"
Wolff, ironically, doesn't agree with a team boss meddling in an affair between two drivers, let alone to comment on their state of mind: "I tell you clearly. There is a thing between drivers and this is George and Max and I don't want to get involved in that but if the other team principal calls George hysteric this is where he crosses a line for me. Now his forte for sure is not intellectual psychoanalysis but that's quite a world. How dare you, how dare you comment on the state of mind of my driver!", concluded a furious Wolff.
This article was written with the assistance of Nicole Mulder
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