Christian Horner and Toto Wolff may be considered the 'star names' among Formula 1's cast of team principals, but their peers have proved just as entertaining in the latest instalment of 'Drive to Survive'.
The fifth season of Netflix 's hit series aired on Friday and covers a 2022 campaign in which Mercedes fell off the map—at least, as far as the title race was concerned—amid major design issues. This led to at least one tense encounter between F1's team bosses, with Horner questioning whether Wolff was "playing to the cameras."
"I can tell you that all of you are playing a dangerous game," warned a heated Wolff after talismanic driver Lewis Hamilton hurt his back due to porpoising issues at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. "If a car ends in the wall because it's too stiff or it's bottoming out, you are in the s***, and I'm going to come after you."
Who's your favourite F1 team principal in 2023? Let us know in the comments section.
Then- Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto—who has since resigned from his role with the Italian manufacturer—resisted by telling the Austrian "safety is a matter of team responsibility," as opposed to being shared among the group. And Horner shared little sympathy for his Silver Arrows counterpart as Red Bull 's supremo fought back.
"Well, change your car," instructed the Englishman, waving a frustrated hand in Wolff's direction. "You've got a problem. Change your f****** car!"
While Wolff and Horner were getting heated, the clip shows not every team principal felt the tension in the room. Haas ' Guenther Steiner looked particularly at ease during the exchange, doing little to hide his laughter in the faces of his rivals.
The Italian turned to compatriot Binotto in stitches, with the former Ferrari boss turning away in apparent exhaustion at the argument. It's but the latest example where Steiner has shone on screen, having become a firm fan favourite among Drive to Survive viewers in recent years.
His best moment was yet to come, however, as there were clearly tensions in the room as the meeting concluded. That was until Steiner turned to Horner and said, "time to go porpoising," in reference to the exact issue that had caused such consternation in the room.
"Imagine F1 without Guenther," tweeted one loyal fan in response to a snapshot of the scene posted on social media. Another viewer referred to the Haas figurehead as "a walking meme" after cultivating such a positive reputation on the show.
Even former McLaren boss Andreas Seidl—now at Alfa Romeo's helm—couldn't hold back a giggle during Wolff's protests, perhaps under the suspicion it was partly for show. That was the suggestion made by Horner—and later by Steiner in another clip—as the Mercedes chief desperately sought ways to rescue a nightmare season.
While any safety concerns themselves are no joking matter, it was perhaps the timing of Wolff's on-camera quarrel that forced some of his peers into hysterics. The hope is recent improvements will be enough for Mercedes to once again have the last laugh, though pre-season results suggest Red Bull remain the team to beat.
