“Toto Wolff is facing a different type of pressure” – Christian Horner believes it’s tough for Mercedes given fierce battle between both teams

Christian Horner believes that Toto Wolff is facing a different type of pressure given how close Red Bull has run Mercedes this season.

Mercedes is 36-points ahead of Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, but its lead driver Lewis Hamilton is trailing behind Max Verstappen by six points in the drivers’ title race.

It has been an intense competition throughout the season. Not just because of the rivalry between Hamilton and Verstappen but also because of the contention between the team bosses.

There have been several major points of strife, including the Silverstone accident, pitstops and questions over extra engine power on both sides.

Ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, the Red Bull team boss said, “I have no issue with Toto but we are very different people.”

“I tend to be quite straight and quite direct, that’s the way I’ve always operated. He operates in a different way but I have a lot of respect for what he’s done.”

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Toto Wolff has never experienced anything other than winning

Toto Wolff is widely regarded as having played a crucial role in establishing the much-lauded culture of the Mercedes F1 team. However, Horner does not seem to agree with that.

He said, “Wolff came into the sport with Mercedes in 2013 and the structure was already in place. Ross Brawn had built that team. Lewis had already been signed.”

“Toto’s done a tremendous job operating the team and maintaining their performance. But of course, he’s never experienced anything other than winning. So it’s a different type of pressure now. It’s tough.”

However, Horner has been leading the Red Bull racing team since the very beginning in 2005. He oversaw the rise and eventual four-year period of dominance that preceded Mercedes’ V6 supremacy.

There is an awful lot more going on behind the scenes

“Compared to the championship years when we were competing with Ferrari and McLaren from 2010 to 2013 this has been very different,” Horner further added.

“There is an awful lot more going on behind the scenes, constant campaigning of the FIA with all aspects of our car.”

“You have to defend yourself if you come under attack as we have from the very beginning of the year. Whether it was the concept of the aerodynamics with the FIA to pit stops to other aspects of the chassis, you name it.”

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