Following the incidents of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, hostilities have been at an all-time high between Christian Horner and Toto Wolff. As such, it is no secret that Wolff is far from happy with Red Bull enjoying such a dominant run, especially for Horner. Currently, in a “Bridesmaid” phase, FormulaPassion reports Horner is wary of Wolff and Mercedes planning a resurgence unlike any other.
Despite the struggles of Sergio Perez, Red Bull stands miles ahead of any other team on the grid. They have lost just one race throughout the season and have already secured the constructor’s championship with six races still to go in the season. 318 ahead of second-placed Mercedes, Red Bull is on course to beat the record for most points in an F1 season, currently held by the Silver Arrows (765).
Despite all this, Horner is well versed with how suddenly the tide can change in F1 and believes Mercedes will once again be the one to end their reign.
Christian Horner believes Wolff is plotting a massive comeback
The sport of F1 has seen many great rivalries over the years. Most of them have been between drivers, while only a few battles were fought by Team Principals. The story of Horner vs. Wolff is one such tale of a rare war between team bosses. Despite the two locking horns with each other seemingly every race, Horner says their rivalry is not without respect.
Speaking to Sky Sports (quoted by Formula Passion), the British engineer also said that there is a possibility of his great contemporary to be planning something big.
“Wolff hasn’t been seen much in the last couple of years, but I’m sure he’s up to something. I’m sure they have something they’re working on, we’re talking about a great team with great drivers. They will try to react.”
From 2010 to 2013, Red Bull stood at the pinnacle of F1 and reigned the grid with ease. Then came the Mercedes storm that blew Red Bull away from the top. The Silver Arrows won eight consecutive constructor’s titles from 2014 to 2021. Having taken back the throne in 2022, Horner predicts his team’s end might be nearing, and if history is anything to go by, Mercedes will once again be the one to take over.
2026 could mark the beginning of a new reign
The 2026 regulations shall shake things up in F1 with several major changes to see the sport in an all-new avatar. In a step towards their ‘Net Carbon Zero’ project, F1 will start using 100% sustainable fuels, which will be carbon-free. Additionally, only 70 kg of fuel will be available per car for each race. Shorter and narrower cars running on an MGU-K-free engine will further change the face of the sport. Given the current progress, McLaren could be among teams such as Mercedes and Ferrari to dethrone Red Bull in 2026.
The 2026 season will be even more crucial for Red Bull as it will be the first season where they will run their cars on self-developed engines. Satisfied with all that they have achieved so far in the development process, Horner believes his team is making reasonable progress. Since it will be the first year of production, Red Bull will not provide the engines to any other team on the grid. However, as things progress, Horner revealed they have enough facilities to accommodate up to four customer teams.
