Christian Horner explains why Zak Brown 'can't ruffle feathers' of Toto Wolff

Christian Horner has claimed Zak Brown is unable to take on Toto Wolff in the way he once did, pointing to McLaren's reliance on Mercedes power units as the reason for the McLaren boss's restraint.

Horner, speaking in an interview published by The Guardian, reflected on his long-running rivalry with the Mercedes team principal and argued that Brown now finds himself in a far more delicate position.

McLaren has run Mercedes engines since 2021 and extended that partnership through to 2030, a deal that covers the entirety of the current engine regulation cycle introduced this season.

Former Red Bull team principal Horner suggested that commercial reality, rather than any lack of appetite, explains why Brown rarely criticises Wolff publicly.

Horner, who was sacked by Red Bull in mid-2025, has not been shy about revisiting old battles.

Asked about Wolff's comment that he had "broken too much glass" to ever return to Formula 1, Horner hit back with a reminder of his own.

"He also said this [Red Bull] engine was going to be completely shit and a disaster," Horner said. Red Bull has won the last two grands prix in Malaysia and Singapore.

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Horner - 'Toto's got it quite easy'

Claiming that "Toto's got it quite easy at the moment", Horner explained: "Zak Brown is compromised because he's using Toto's engine, so he can't ruffle feathers."

Horner went on to frame his feud with Wolff as part of a wider sporting tradition, comparing it to some of the most storied rivalries outside Formula 1.

"All sport needs rivalry, whether it's [Alex] Ferguson and [Arsene] Wenger, [Jose] Mourinho and [Pep] Guardiola," he remarked. "It percolates and polarises. I used that to galvanise good people to take on Mercedes."