Christian Horner couldn't resist cracking a joke at his Formula 1 rival's expense despite Toto Wolff offering advice to the Red Bull chief.
Horner doesn't have too many things to worry about right now, given his team's cars are well ahead of the competition. Red Bull have won all four races so far this season and will be the favourites for victory again at this weekend's Miami Grand Prix.
But one problem which might rear its ugly head will be if the title fight between his two drivers sours. Just six points separate championship leader Max Verstappen and his team-mate Sergio Perez after the first four races of the year and the Mexican is so far living up to his declaration that he can match the Dutchman.
Horner has experience of such a situation, given the often tense relationship between Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber in the past. Mercedes which Wolff also knows what it is like to manage such a delicate situation and, when asked about by reporters in Miami on Friday, recalled the 2016 title race between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
"It's a super tricky job for Christian and the team because both drivers will obviously try to always feel that they are fairly and equally treated while, at the same time, trying to have an advantage," said the Austrian. "In our team it was important to maintain a lot of transparency and clarity.
"We discussed things before we went racing on a Sunday, good boundaries. And, at the end, both drivers – Nico and Lewis – respected the team's opinion whilst we acknowledged that there was a fight on between them.
"Going back in time, there are things I would have probably done differently in 2016. But getting the balance right between accepting that these two guys are racing for a championship and it's within the same garage and, at the same time, they are part of a larger structure. It is not always easy because they are very competitive animals."
Horner was sitting next to Wolff at the time and, when he picked up his microphone to respond to that thoughtful answer, proceeded to crack a joke at his rival's expense. "We just do everything that Toto says, just a bit better," he quipped, which made the Mercedes chief chuckle.
On his team's current situation, Horner added: "I think it's a luxury problem, first of all. I mean, wow. I think any team principal in the pit lane would hope to have that issue. It's something we've experienced before and I think the most key thing is, as Toto mentioned, to ensure that paranoia doesn't creep in and that both drivers are treated equally.
"You go to pains to provide equality to the point of who drives out of the garage each weekend. It even alternates in the debrief as to who talks first! But it's racing, Formula 1, and occasionally something will happen like a safety car or a pit stop and you can't control every aspect – there are still variables.
"I think, as long as the drivers both know that they're getting an equal chance and it's ultimately down to what they do on the circuit. That's where you want it to play out, not through reliability, for example, to play a key role in a championship fight between your two drivers within your own team."
