Wolff: 'Red Bull has always been our strongest competitor'

Mercedes is not facing an easy season. Where the German racing team was sure of the first place in the world championship with Lewis Hamilton in recent years, Max Verstappen is currently in the lead. Toto Wolff is happy to see the battle between them.

The Mercedes team boss sees that Christian Horner is doing an excellent job at Red Bull and accepts the Austrian's team boss' performance. "The relationship is always respectful," he stated in conversation with the official website of Formula 1. "I think the job that Christian has done is very good and he was the youngest Team Principal to have won a world championship; he’s done four in a row."

Wolff knows that he and his team will have to work hard this season to get Hamilton an eighth world title. "The team [Red Bull] has always been our strongest competitor, and for that reason, we are fighting gloves off on the track for any millimetre of political advantage. But I have respect for the person," Wolff said of Horner.

Mercedes experienced a dramatic race at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon. Hamilton didn't get further than seventh place, while Valtteri Bottas had to retire early because his wheel wouldn't come off during a tyre change.