SimplyAbuDhabi XLII

There is an air of bravado to their rivalry, of course, exaggerated by the constant focus of Netflix cameras, and Horner does concede that he has “huge respect for what [Wolff] has achieved”. What is it, then, that makes the cultures at Red Bull and Mercedes different? “We play the music loud- er here,” says Horner. “People enjoy what they do. You’ll never see me throw the team under the bus, even if we’ve had a horrible race, because I don’t think it brings out the best in people, singling departments out, apologising to the driver. Behind closed doors, we can look at ourselves honestly in the mirror, but externally I see it as my job to defend my team.” There is a clear enjoyment in those sly digs, but the sense of unity in Milton Keynes is impressive. “Once you’ve tasted that success, you don’t want to let it go,” says Horner. “It’s the fear of failure that drives you forwards.” In fact, as Red Bull’s rivals have faltered, the greatest source of friction has been between their two drivers, Verstappen and Sergio Pérez. The ten- sion flared towards the end of last season but it is hardly a novel dilemma for Horner. When Red Bull enjoyed an ascendancy in 2010, the animos- ity between Vettel and Mark Webber culminated in a spectacular crash at the Turkish Grand Prix. “‘Team-mates’ is a poor word to describe it,” says Horner, whose solution was to take both drivers to London’s Great Or- mond Street Hospital. “I wanted to make the point that ‘we’re not saving lives here. Let’s go and see some real people with real problems.’ It was a great humbler.” He stresses that the dynamic at Red Bull now is far less extreme, such is Verstappen’s superiority, but the Dutchman recently admitted he could retire when his contract expires in 2028. It serves to put Horner’s own lon- gevity in perspective, and you suspect he’s still at his happiest ensconced in the sport’s grip. “I’m still the second-youngest team principal,” he says. “I get just as excited driving into work as I did 20 years ago.” Simply Abu Dhabi | 129