Christian Horner admitted he is happy to make Toto Wolff suffer the way he did as he watched Mercedes dominate the Formula 1 world for so many years.
The sport entered its hybrid era in 2014, and with it came a period of great success for the Silver Arrows. Mercedes have won every constructors' championship since, including last season despite Max Verstappen beating Lewis Hamilton to the driver's title.
But their run is all but certain to finally come to an end in 2022. While not yet mathematically certain, Red Bull have a massive lead in the standings and only a fantastical turn of events will deny them silverware this year.
Horner, who has led Red Bull since it entered the sport in 2005, will be a very happy man to be back on top of the F1 world. And while he admits it is "unlikely" his team will repeat such a period of dominance, he certainly wouldn't mind that happening.
"I can only wish to inflict that amount of pain on Toto over the next eight years," he told Sky Sports F1. "It is very unlikely. We've just had a wonderful year and the team are performing at a very high level right now. But Ferrari are fast and Mercedes are getting back on their feet."
Red Bull have won 12 of the 16 races so far this season, 11 courtesy of runaway drivers' standings leader Verstappen. The Dutchman's lead stands at 116 points, and he could be declared champion next time out in Singapore if results go his way.
For Mercedes it has been a more difficult year. After getting their car development wrong for this new era of the sport, they have been playing catch-up to Red Bull and Ferrari ever since and have been out of contention for race wins.
It is a stark contrast to the eight seasons between 2014 and 2021, all of which produced silverware for the team. Not used to being away from the front of the grid, and despite his own team's previous achievements, Wolff has taken aim at Red Bull this year for ruining the enjoyment of the sport by being so untouchable.
"If you have Verstappen disappearing into the distance, the two Ferraris being the only entertainment during the race and then we are in the middle of nowhere in no man's land, then the others are further behind, and then you have DRS trains. That never can make a good sprint race," said the Austrian.
