Horner Critiques Mercedes’ ‘Defeatist’ Strategy at Monaco GP, Questions Wolff’s Early Title Concession

Christian Horner takes a swipe at Mercedes, labeling their Monaco GP approach as 'defeatist'

Christian Horner has voiced his disapproval of Mercedes' tactical choices during the Monaco Grand Prix.

Red Bull's team leader, Christian Horner, criticized Mercedes' tactics at the F1 Monaco Grand Prix, labeling them as "pessimistic".

Following an initial red flag that permitted drivers to switch their tires, the prerequisite for mandatory pit stops was eliminated, opening up the option for teams to continue racing until the finish line.

The majority of the participants did so, among them Mercedes' George Russell, who secured a fifth-place finish, just ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who was among the minority to make a pit stop.

Russell was advised to regulate his speed during the initial phases and then accelerate towards the latter part after he managed to keep his position ahead of Verstappen once the Dutch driver completed his pit stop.

Following the season's fourth race in Japan, Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes, announced that the championship battle had concluded. Verstappen now maintains a 31-point lead in the standings after Sunday’s race.

In response to whether he believes Wolff prematurely declared Verstappen the champion, and whether there's still competition for him, Horner said, "Yes, I do think that's the case. Maybe not from Mercedes, though."

"However, it's clear that Ferrari and McLaren are strong contenders and shouldn't be overlooked. The championship is far from over, and they have indeed secured a significant number of points in today's event."

"George's strategy in today's Mercedes race left me confused. It was an overly cautious approach, allowing significant time loss only to pick up speed dramatically towards the race's conclusion. The tactic seemed quite puzzling."

"However, I believe the outcome would have remained the same… they didn't stand a chance of surpassing anyone, it was merely a pessimistic effort to maintain the fifth position."

Horner minimized the significance of remarks made by an exasperated Verstappen over the Monaco weekend.

"Pay attention to what Max has been saying for a decade. He's incredibly straightforward and honest, and it really brings clarity to everyone," he mentioned.

Yesterday, after the qualifying session, we had an excellent debrief where we thoroughly explored what the driver was actually feeling.

"He dedicated significant energy to engaging with the engineers last night. There's no magic solution; it all comes down to diligent work and comprehension."

Discussing the event, Russell remarked, "It was an extended, peculiar race. For the initial 30 laps, we were just cruising along.

After Max made his pit stop, I accelerated, and it was only later that I recognized how significantly we had narrowed the distance to the Ferrari and McLaren teams. That truly delighted me.

Max exerted some pressure on me, but it was largely manageable.

"When the red flag was waved, it proved to be a source of annoyance for all involved. The single glimmer of excitement in Monaco's race hinged on strategic maneuvers, yet that opportunity evaporated. We achieved the best possible outcome under the circumstances."

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