‘W**kers’ – Christian Horner reaction as Coulthard recalls untelevised team radio

Christian Horner sarcastically thanked David Coulthard for the “compliment” after Red Bull were called “w**kers” by its driver at the time.

Coulthard revealed how this radio call – which was not broadcast- came after his request to move a Toro Rosso aside was ignored. Coulthard had no idea that Red Bull team founder Dietrich Mateschitz was also listening in at the time of his foul-mouthed radio message.

Christian Horner: ‘Thanks for the compliment!’

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Red Bull was the final team which Coulthard raced for in Formula 1.

Alongside the likes of Horner, Coulthard helped put the key foundations in place for what has become a multi-title-winning team.

By 2006, Red Bull had two teams on the grid: Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso. Coulthard found out that both teams were to operate independently, looking to climb the F1 ladder to the top.

Coulthard found that out when he called Red Bull “w**kers” over team radio. It turned out that Horner was not the only senior official listening in.

Speaking via the Up To Speed podcast, Coulthard recalled: “I’ve been in a scenario, if I go way back, Hockenheim, probably 2007, where I came out of my pit stop behind the Toro Rosso, as it was at that time, which has now become RB.

“I was on new tyres, it was on old tyres, and we were all part of the same family, being owned by Red Bull.

“So, I was on the radio saying, you know, ‘Let the Toro Rosso know that we’re at different phases of the race,’ and let’s remind ourselves this was not a period where Red Bull Racing or Toro Rosso were scoring points on a regular basis; it was the building years.

“He doesn’t get out of the way. I get back on the radio and say, ‘Guys, I’m just losing time.’ We didn’t have KERS. We didn’t have DRS. We had to rely on somehow finding an overtake.

“Anyway, they didn’t get out of the way, so I’m on the radio going, ‘You’re w**kers, you’re all w**kers!’ To which I found out, Mr. Mateschitz, the owner of Red Bull, was on the radio listening to this.

“And, as it turns out, his point of view was the following: there are two teams owned by Red Bull, but they independently operate, and it’s about which one can rise up to the top. So, I respect that, and I respect the fact that he therefore didn’t come to me afterwards and say, ‘Don’t ever speak like that on the radio again.’

“It wasn’t broadcast. It was just when I got back to the pits, Christian Horner and the team were like, ‘Yeah, thanks for the compliment!’”

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Coulthard remained with Red Bull until his retirement at the end of the 2008 season.

His Formula 1 career yielded 13 grand prix wins. The first came with Williams, the remaining 12 as a McLaren driver.

Horner continued to lead Red Bull until his shock departure following the 2025 British Grand Prix.

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