24/02/2022
NEWS STORY
Toto Wolff and Christian Horner appear to bury the hatchet as they agree that it is time to move on from the bitterness of last season and Abu Dhabi.
Other than Ted Kravitz referring to Lewis Hamilton as an "ex world champion", one of the most annoying things about Sky's coverage of the first day of testing was the obvious desire to whip up the excrement ahead of the new season.
As Lewis Hamilton walked the pitlane, checking out the opposition, Kravitz' colleague, Craig Slater noted that when the seven-time world champion stopped to look at the Red Bull there "was no eye contact with Max Verstappen".
While Slater's delivery wasn't in quite the same breathless tone as some of those currently reporting on the situation in Ukraine, the intent was clear.
However, while the media appears intent on building animosity between the principal players, Toto Wolff and Christian Horner feel it is time to move on from last year's "pantomime" and indeed that controversial season finale.
"Maybe we share a difference of opinion over Abu Dhabi," admitted Horner, "but that's now done and dusted and all focus is very much now on 2022.
"What you did see last year was a fantastic competition from the first race to the last race," he continued, "and I think that's been a key part of Formula 1's revival in popularity.
"We hope that there's going to be an equally exciting year," he added, "ideally a little less exciting at times, but an exciting season ahead. And I think there could be some other competitors joining that battle as well."
"It got fierce at times, and, and brutal," agreed Wolff, "but there is a lot at stake. It's a Formula 1 world championship and there is the fighting on track and the fighting off track for advantages.
"But I agree with Christian, we need to move on. There's been so much to talk about Abu Dhabi that it came to a point that it is really damaging for all of us stakeholders of Formula 1.
"We've closed the chapter and moved on, now it's about 2022. The game is on again, all points to zero, and new opportunity and new risks."
Asked whether he actually got a kick out of some of last year's banter, Horner said: "Nobody likes to have permanent controversy, but it's the field in which we have decided to operate and everybody needs to defend the interests, the interests of the team, so it's to be expected.
"Enjoy it? I don't know if I enjoy it, but it's part of the job."