Horner to Hill: ‘If I think you’re being an arse, I’ll tell you’
Christian Horner talking to Sky Sports at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Interlagos November 2021.
In response to Damon Hill calling him “punchy”, Christian Horner said he’s “just straight” and will tell people exactly what he thinks.
The Red Bull team principal has often been in the headlines this year for comments he has made, particularly towards Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff and his team.
He also got into trouble with the FIA in Qatar for suggesting a “rogue marshal” had waved the yellow flag that Max Verstappen failed to slow down for, causing the Red Bull driver to get a grid penalty.
He wasn’t the only one at Red Bull that made such comments, with Helmut Marko saying the governing body issued penalties to hide their own issues.
However, Horner denies that emotions are starting to get the better of him and his team.
“I think we’ve been pretty good with our emotions,” Horner told Sky F1 when asked by Hill if that was the case.
“I haven’t been pointing and swearing at cameras and all that kind of thing.”
Christian Horner sounded like an under-pressure football manager blaming the referee with his criticism of how Max Verstappen’s grid penalty was issued.
The momentum is firmly with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes.#QatarGP conclusions: https://t.co/1HyzhJt2L3 #F1 pic.twitter.com/LxYZ4aSP8G
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) November 22, 2021
Hill didn’t exactly agree with that, with the former World Champion telling the team boss that he’d been quite punchy this year.
Horner replied by claiming he just tells it as it is.
“I’m just straight and I tell you what I think. If I think you are being an arse then I will tell you that you are being an arse,” he directed at Hill.
“Look, I’ve spoken to the FIA and apologised if any offence was caused [referring to his “rogue marshal” comment]. It wasn’t my intention to cause offence and my frustration wasn’t with an individual marshal, it was with the situation itself.”
On the whole, he has no regrets about how he has conducted himself throughout the 2021 campaign and says he would do everything the same again.
“No, not at all. I believe in my team. I am a straight talker and I’ve always conducted myself in that manner,” he told reporters.
“I’m not an overly emotional person, I don’t rant at cameras. I think the way I’ve conducted myself, I’ve got no issues with, and I’d do exactly the same [in the future].
He may not feel he did anything wrong, but Wolff says Horner was “naughty” in his criticism of the marshals at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Horner overstepped the mark with marshal criticism
Christian Horner was summoned to the stewards following out of line comments.
