© Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is one of the people that “start to behave like little actors”, when you put “a microphone in front of them”.
In an interview with the Daily Mail Toto Wolff talked about the influence of Netflix’s Drive to Survive in creating media drama in Formula 1, and answered Christian Horner’s claim that he is starting to feel the pressure of the 2021 title fight.
“What Christian says about me feeling pressure — no, not at all,” the Austrian said.
“I feel he is one of the protagonists in a pantomime, part of the Formula 1 cast, and for me as a stakeholder, as a team owner, it’s great that he creates these kinds of stories.
“But it’s irrelevant. People have a microphone in front of them or a camera on them and they start to behave like little actors, like Hollywood.
“It’s very good they fill the blanks and make it pantomime. That’s good for the sport and good for Netflix because they want to portray the people, not just the stopwatch.
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“People have realised they are being quoted if they say controversial things. It gives them media time, it gets their picture in the newspapers.”
Wolff says Formula 1 has been dealing in non-racing controversy to raise interest since the days of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.
“In many ways we are going back to our roots because what Bernie Ecclestone created back in the day was racing and soap.
“And when there was not enough racing he made soap, he was always good for a headline. So we’re back there. But I don’t get drawn into it.
“I find it amusing, but it doesn’t touch me,” concluded Mercedes’ team boss.
