Divided on track, united by mental health: Red Bull boss praises Mercedes’ Toto Wolff

Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull, on Sunday praised Mercedes boss Toto Wolff for speaking out about mental health issues. The two will lock horns in Bahrain on Sunday. 

Also read: F1: Max Verstappen sure Mercedes will be competitive in 2022

Wolff had told the the Sunday Times that he had been seeing a psychiatrist since 2004. The 50-year-old claimed that he has had more than 500 hours of therapy.

Horner, ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, said that he had friends who have suffered due to mental health issues. 

“All credit to Toto for having the courage to talk out about his issues with mental health. I think that it is something in this business that we are acutely aware of and something that we’re looking to be pro-active on,” he Red Bull boss said. 

“I’m fortunate that I haven’t had issues personally but I’ve had…friends that I know who have suffered as a result of mental health issues,” he added. 

Also read: F1: Son of man sentenced to death in Bahrain appeals to Hamilton for help

Wolff had admitted that getting help ‘is a way of overcoming my problems’. 

“It has helped me to access untapped potential,” he said. The Austrial led Mercedes to eight conseutive F1 constructors’ titles.

“I’ve never had any problem with the stigma. Some of the most successful people are very, very sensitive and very, very sensitive means very, very vulnerable,” the Mercedes Principal said. 

Also read: Hamilton admits Mercedes ‘not at the top’ ahead of Formula 1 season opener

Only last year, the two – Wolff and Horner – were seen battling fiercely on and off the field. Ultimately, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen beat Mercedes’  Lewis Hamilton, who is a seven-time world champion, in Abu Dhabi to win the championship. 

Toto Wolff had called Horner a ‘windbag’ during the 2021 finale. Horner had compared him to a pantomime dame. 

“Everything depends upon how you perceive yourself. High profile people who seem to have everything but are struggling, I think we have an obligation to say we’re getting help and it’s OK to get help,” Wolff had said, further adding that the likes of Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka deserve a lot of credit for how they’ve spoken about this.