Red Bull boss Christian Horner reportedly left Mercedes employees “stunned” when he visited their camp immediately after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Tensions were high last weekend when Max Verstappen ousted Lewis Hamilton into the F1 drivers’ championship in the final race of the season. Details about the day are still to be revealed, which was not undisputed.
Hamilton had entered the race to win an eighth F1 record and to be ahead of Michael Schumacher in the history books.
But the Briton was rejected, with Red Bull having the upper hand.
Verstappen was behind most of the crucial Middle East race but was only able to dash across the finish line with one lap to take to claim the prize.
Immediately after the race, when Mercedes tried unsuccessfully to undo Verstappen’s triumph – when two separate protests were dismissed by the FIA that day.
Well, the Daily Mail says Red Bull team principal Horner rocked the Silver Arrows staff when he went to their headquarters.
It is alleged that Horner went there to try to find Mercedes colleague Toto Wolff, who shakes his hand, but was unsuccessful in the end.
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Witnesses are said to have compared the scene with the scene in which a stranger “enters a western saloon”.
The mechanics have been described as “open-mouthed,” and it is said that the staff actively stopped what they were doing as they watched Horner go up the stairs to look for his headmistress colleague.
In the end, however, Mercedes had no choice but to accept the result.
Verstappen will now be the most important man to beat next year. The Red Bull star wants to build on the first title of his career.
Some have suggested Hamilton could retire after the loss, although it is still likely he will return to history for one final blow.
In a recent interview with the Telegraph, Horner opened the race in Abu Dhabi and subtly attacked Hamilton for “groaning” at the result.
“Of course we’ll roll the dice and get started,” said Horner.
“Max just refused to give up. You didn’t hear him moan on the radio. Every lap he drove his heart out, then suddenly a chance presented itself.
“If you look at his pass on turn five, I don’t think Lewis expected him to get through there. He didn’t even defend.
“He’s been waiting for him more in Turn Six, but Max surprised him. Classic Verstappen.
“This weekend I already had the feeling that Max deserved the way he drove, how he put in, how he fought under the most intense pressure and the most intense test.
“Even if he didn’t have the best car in the second half of the year.
“Max drove with such determination and sovereignty.
“He just didn’t want to turn around and let that go. It’s a life lesson: if you keep striving, anything is achievable. “
Meanwhile, Wolff has disclosed Mercedes’ decision to drop its protests against the outcome of the race later this week.
“We decided together that we would protest and wanted to carefully examine a possible appeal,” said the Mercedes boss.
“We decided together not to do this. The FIA would have been a defendant and a judge at the same time.
“That triggers a feeling of powerlessness. Just like on Sunday in the last lap, it was the same for me as a child.
“Lewis and I are still completely disaffected. My heart and soul still cry with every pore.
“When the principles of sport are disregarded and the stopwatch is no longer worth anything, one begins to wonder whether all the work, the blood, the sweat and the tears are worth it.”
