Abu Dhabi GP: Toto Wolff calls Christian Horner a ‘yawning little terrier’

Toto Wolff branded his Red Bull colleague Christian Horner a “yawning little terrier” as he came to George Russell’s defense in his growing feud with Max Verstappen.

A remarkable media day ahead of Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix kicked off with Russell claims to ESPN and selected other media that last week Verstappen had threatened to “put my head against the wall”.

Russell had responded to Verstappen’s comments about him last Sunday – the Dutchman had been angered by a grid penalty which cost him pole, one he felt Russell had lobbied for him to get.

In his own media session after the race in Qatar, Red Bull boss Horner said: “Yesterday’s penalty was more based on hysteria from George, who has been quite hysterical this weekend.”

Wolff stepped in to respond to those comments.

In Russell’s open media session at the Yas Marina circuit, which Wolff took the unusual step of joining – he eventually took a microphone to defend his driver from the Red Bull pair.

“It’s just weak,” Wolff said. “Finally, why does he feel entitled to comment on my driver? How come? But when I think about it, I’ve spent 90 seconds thinking about it…

“Yappy little terrier. Always something to say.”

Wolff added: “I think as a team principal it is important to be a sparring partner for your drivers.

“And that means explaining that things can be more nuanced. Statements that are absolutist, taking everything to be either right, 100% right or 100% wrong, is something I just think you need to explain, think about more nuances , depending on your perception and your perspective You have to allow something to be 51-49, you have to allow it to be 70-30 There is always another side.

“Maybe when you look at it that way and you explain it to the drivers and your team, you come to the conclusion that there is truth on both sides. If you don’t, you come up short.”

When asked why he had felt the need to attend Russell’s session, something he would not normally do, Wolff said Horner’s comments had crossed the line.

“I’ll make it clear,” he said. “There’s a thing between drivers, and that’s George and Max, and I don’t want to get into that, but if the other team manager calls George hysterical, that’s where he crosses a line for me. Now, his Forte is definitely not intellectual psychoanalysis, but that’s quite a word, how dare you comment on my driver’s state of mind.”

For the avoidance of doubt, Mercedes later clarified that both of Wolff’s comments were directed at Horner, not Verstappen.