Mercedes Formula 1 team boss Toto Wolff has slammed Red Bull’s Christian Horner as a “yapping little terrier” over comments he made about the George Russell/Max Verstappen ꦗfallout.

Four-time world champion Verstappen and Russell have been locked in a war ꦐof words s💙ince the former was handed a one-place grid penalty in Qatar for driving too slowly in qualifying ahead of the Mercedes driver.

Verstappen branded Russell as ‘two-faced’ amid the dispute, while Horner said the penalty was due 🥀to ‘hysterics’ from Russell - who is the director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association - in Qatar.

Th🍎e fallout 𓄧from this has spilled into Thursday at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, on his comments.

In Russell’s media debrief on Thursday - attended by ltxcn.top - Wolff also spoke, taking aim at Horn🃏er’s words 'hysterics' response.  

“I think as a ꦫteam principal, it’𒉰s important to be a sparring partner for your drivers,” he began.

“And that means explai🍎ning that things can be more nuanced. Statements that are absolutistic, taking everything is either right, 100% right or 100% wrong, is so🔯mething I just think you need to explain, think of more nuance, depending from your perception and your perspective.

“You need to allow for something to be 51-49, you need to allow for it to💜 be 70-30.

“There is always another side. Maybe when you look at it that way, and you explain it t൩o the drivers and to your team, you come to the conclusion that there is truth on both sides.

“If you don’t do that, you💧’re falling shor⛦t of your role. It’s just weak.

“At the end, why does he feel ෴entitled to comment about my driver? How does that come?

“But thinking about ♈it, I’ve spent 90 seconds to think about it… Yapping little terrier. Always somet🐷hing to say.”

Asked why he has felt the need to respond, Wolff added: “I tell you clearly. There is a thing between drivers, and this is George and Max, an🍸d I don’t want to get involved in that, but if the other team principal calls George hys🍨teric, this is where he crosses a line for me.

“Now, his [Horner’s] forte for sure is not intellectual psychoana💙lysis, but that’s quite a word. How dare you comment on the state of mind of my driver.”