Toto Wolff has given his reaction to Christian Horner’s recent suggestions that George Russell could be a potential target for Red Bull in the future, with the Mercedes boss believing that the remarks were made to “stir s*** up”.
Much debate in recent months has been surrounding which drivers are set to stay with the Red Bull family – with questions being thrown about as to whether Daniel Ricciardo will depart at RB, or even Perez who has similarly been under pressure for his position.
This led to him adding: “George Russell at the moment has his contract expiring at the end of the following year. And it would be foolish not to take that into consideration. There are other drivers, talented drivers, that will be out of contract as well.”
When asked about Horner’s comments later in the weekend, Wolff responded: “Christian is always trying to stir the s*** up.”
After a journalist then jokingly suggested that Wolff could be penalised for using such language – following on from Max Verstappen being handed a punishment for swearing in a press conference – the Mercedes boss continued: “This is excrement, it is very natural, it’s not liking having an interaction with someone, it’s going to the toilet – I could argue this with the stewards.
“But, coming back to the point, he’s stirring the s*** up. It’s part of the game. George has been a Mercedes driver forever and hopefully will be forever.”
It comes after Wolff’s public pursuit of Verstappen, with the Austrian having admitted earlier in the year that he “would love” to have the Dutchman at Mercedes, a possibility that now appears to be off the cards for the foreseeable future following the signing of Kimi Antonelli for 2025.
Next year Russell will be at the Silver Arrows for the fourth time in total and the seventh year of his F1 career so Wolff noted that the 26-year-old “has all he needs to step in the more senior role in the team” as the Briton Hamilton prepares for his switch to Ferrari.
“He’s learning, he’s constantly developing,” Wolff said about Russell. “That is a skill that we have all appreciated with Lewis – but he is this great champion and yet he is getting better as a person and as a racing driver.
“So yes, George has all he needs to assume the more senior position in the team and take the leadership in the moment when it is time to make technical decisions on set-ups which must be made.” “He knows what he is doing and I have great confidence in him.”