Toto Wolff admits to having mixed feelings over Christian Horner’s potential return to the F1 paddock.
Since being fired by Red Bull days after last year’s British Grand Prix, the Briton has been linked with a number of teams including Ferrari and Aston Martin.
However, his most likely way back appears to be his bid to purchase a 20% stake in Alpine. That said, there are other potential buyers, including Steve Cohen, owner of the New York Mets, and Mercedes-Benz.
Over the years Horner and Wolff enjoyed a fractious relationship, and it is fair to say that neither let an opportunity pass, be it to joke at the other’s expense, question the legality of the other’s car or the way the other ran their team, and, of course, Abu Dhabi 2021.
It is fair to say that were he still at Red Bull, the compression ratio saga would not have been passed over quite so peacefully.
“I am in two minds about it,” Wolff told the Press Association when asked about the possibility of Horner’s return. “The sport is missing personalities, and his personality was clearly very controversial and that is good for the sport.
“I said to Fred Vasseur that it needs ‘the good, the bad, and the ugly’, and it is now only the good and the ugly left. The bad is gone.”
Asked about Horner’s bid for Alpine, he said: “He has broken quite a lot of glass, and these things have repercussions in our microcosm. When you say things, but that is what he has done all his life, and that is what he knows best.
“Us looking at that stake is in no connection with Christian,” he insisted. “And the idea that there is a rivalry between Christian and me around who buys an Alpine stake is made up.
“It would be quite sad if that was a consideration of doing such an investment or not. We are looking at it from different angles, and we haven’t come to any conclusions. We want to know whether it makes sense.
“Would I consider that he could ever be an ally or someone that shares objectives?” I don’t think so,” he admitted.
“But even when I had the biggest frustration, and anger with him, you need to remind yourself that even your worst enemy has a best friend so there must be some goodness.
“If there wasn’t that competitive rivalry over so many years, and if there was more water down the river, I am sure I could have had hung with him over dinner and a had a laugh. But over those years it was just too intense, too fierce, and things happened which even today I cannot comprehend why he has done them.
“I don’t know if he is finding his way back, and in which function. I certainly don’t wish him bad. And we need to give each other credit. There are not many team principals who have done what he has done.
“I see a situation that whatever happens, whatever outcomes there may be, whether he comes back to Formula 1 or not, I am at ease with it.”