Christian Horner praised Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff for having the courage to open up about mental health problems he faced.
It’s no secret that Horner and Wolff are fierce rivals within the world of F1. The two have led their teams to multiple titles over the years and have exchanged several verbal battles throughout.
The animosity between the two reached boiling point during the 2021 season, when Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen went toe to toe for the Title. Battles between the drivers often led to instances where the heat would spread over to their respective team garages.
In spite of their rivalry, there’s always been respect between the two team bosses. This was evident when Horner, in a recent interview, praised his Mercedes counterpart for speaking up about mental health.
Wolff revealed how he suffered from mental health issues from his own. He went on to say that he had been consulting with a psychiatrist for 18 years, and went through more than 500 hours of therapy.
In response to the Mercedes’ boss revelation, Horner praised him. He credits the Austrian for having the courage to speak out on sensitive issues like this.
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Need more people to speak out on importance of mental health, says Christian Horner
The Red Bull boss feels that more people should highlight the importance of mental wellbeing. Especially within the world of F1, they are under constant pressure to deliver results. This can take a toll on their mental health.
“I think all credit to Toto for having the courage to talk out about his issues with mental health,” Horner said.
“It’s something there is much more of a spotlight on these days and I think it’s something in this business we are acutely aware of and something we are looking to be pro-active on.
“I’m fortunate I haven’t had issues personally but I’ve had members of…friends I know who have suffered as a result of mental health issues. Of course, it’s an important topic and I think it’s very good to highlight it,” he continued.
“I think to be able to talk out about it is a positive thing so yes, I’m not going to… as I say, all credit to Toto for having the confidence to talk out about his own personal issues.”
