Christian Horner’s Strategic Maneuver: Namechecking George Russell to Unsettle Toto Wolff, Says Nico Rosberg

Nico Rosberg thinks that Christian Horner, the Red Bull team leader, is aiming to put Mercedes leader Toto Wolff under stress by mentioning George Russell.

Nico Rosberg suggests that Christian Horner mentioning George Russell as a potential future candidate for Red Bull is somewhat of a jab directed at Mercedes leader Toto Wolff.

Amid rumors that Daniel Ricciardo might be on his way out of Red Bull's affiliate Formula 1 team, RB, Horner mentioned that it would be unwise for his team to overlook the opportunity to acquire Russell once his current agreement with Mercedes concludes at the close of 2025.

"Currently, there's a void, but we're looking to devote some time to evaluate our future alternatives," Horner explained to Sky Sports F1 during the Singapore Grand Prix.

"We're certainly open to exploring options beyond our current lineup. For instance, George Russell's contract concludes at the end of the upcoming year. Ignoring such a fact would be unwise. Additionally, there might be other skilled drivers available as their contracts expire too."

Wolff, on the other hand, charged his counterpart with causing trouble through his remarks about showing interest in Russell.

"Wolff countered, suggesting he's always causing trouble, but it's just part of the strategy. He highlighted that George has been with Mercedes for a long time and expressed hope that this partnership will continue indefinitely. Wolff emphasized that they have an extended agreement with him."

During his appearance on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, 2016 world champion Rosberg mentioned that Horner's remarks were meant to apply pressure on his adversary Wolff.

"The German mentioned, "I sensed that was somewhat of a jab directed at Toto. It places Toto in a position where he needs to make a choice, considering George lacks a contract."

"Christian might play mischievously and attempt to whisk him away, aiming to secure him with a contract immediately."

"I'm not sure if George would be intrigued, but such a remark definitely increases the tension for Toto."

This follows months of Mercedes openly pursuing Max Verstappen, despite his ongoing contract with Red Bull, which isn't set to expire until the conclusion of 2028.

Earlier this year, discussions about Verstappen's career prospects emerged due to a scandal at Red Bull involving accusations against team principal Horner.

Wolff expressed his enthusiasm about the idea of bringing Verstappen on board to fill Lewis Hamilton's seat in 2025. However, he ultimately chose to elevate Mercedes' young star, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, to join Russell instead.

Nonetheless, the Austrian did not dismiss the possibility of continuing to show interest in Verstappen for a potential future Formula 1 position with Mercedes.

Explore Further

Sign up for our Formula 1 Newsletter

Stay updated with the newest Formula 1 stories, behind-the-scenes scoops, exclusive conversations, and special offers delivered straight to your email.

For further details, consult our Privacy Policy.

Recent Updates

Further Updates

Site Navigation

CrashDotNet

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

Reproducing any part or the entirety of the text, photos, or images is strictly prohibited in any manner.