Ralf Schumacher finds Christian Horner’s behaviour “embarrassing” and “appalling” – the former team principal had put himself forward as a candidate at Ferrari
“When you talk about class, Christian Horner isn’t the first person who springs to mind,” says Ralf Schumacher with a smile in the latest episode of the Backstage Boxengasse podcast. This comes in the wake of Horner’s recent comments in an interview with The Times, which caused quite a stir.
Among other things, Horner put himself forward as a potential Ferrari team principal – even though the role is currently filled by Frederic Vasseur. For Schumacher, such behaviour is completely unacceptable. “I think it’s a bit of a shame, because I reckon he’s achieved an incredible amount,” he says of Horner.
The 52-year-old “was and remains one of the most successful Formula 1 team principals,” Schumacher recalls. During his time at Red Bull, Horner won a total of 14 world championship titles. Under his leadership, Red Bull brought the Constructors’ Championship to Milton Keynes six times, whilst Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen each won the Drivers’ Championship four times.
However, even during his time at Red Bull, Horner did not exactly have the best reputation due to his “behaviour in the paddock”. Schumacher recalls that Horner once “shouted at” him and then “indirectly threatened […], saying that I, too, had my secrets in my private life and so on”.
Horner is “a bit of a street fighter”, according to the expert, who suspects that Horner only gave the salacious interview “to sell a few books and a few tickets”. After all, Horner’s autobiography is due to be published in a few weeks’ time – complete with a book tour across the UK.
“It reflects his character, but it’s actually appalling,” says Schumacher, who describes Horner’s statements as “embarrassing” and explains that it is “simply a sign of his own inadequacy”. With regard to Horner’s sporting successes, he finds this turn of events “actually a shame”.
Incidentally, Schumacher does not believe the Briton will make a comeback in Formula 1. “I can’t see who would take him on,” says the expert, who suspects that, following the interview, he’s been blacklisted by Ferrari anyway. “That also shows that, I think, he knows there’s no way back for him,” says Schumacher.
Ferrari has since felt compelled to issue an official statement emphasising its full support for Frederic Vasseur.