McLaren's chief executive Zak Brown has delivered a blistering assessment of former Red Bull principal Christian Horner, attributing his rival's alleged arrogance to the influence of Netflix's Drive to Survive series.
"I think the Drive to Survive fame, the money, the glory, all got a bit much," Brown stated.
The McLaren boss went further, accusing Horner of employing unfair tactics during their teams' fierce competition.
Brown specifically highlighted allegations made by Red Bull last November that McLaren had been illegally injecting water into their tyres to cool them during races.
Christian Horner left Red Bull earlier this year after 20 years at the helm | GETTY"He made allegations towards our team. I can't imagine he believed them. It was simply intended to disrupt us," Brown claimed.
The relationship between the two Formula One figures spans three decades, beginning when they competed against each other in Formula Three. Brown revealed their once-cordial connection had soured dramatically in recent years.
"I've known Christian for 30-plus years. We used to get on. His results are amazing. So, hats off. But he's changed," Brown told The Telegraph.
Despite acknowledging Horner's remarkable achievements at Red Bull, Brown maintained that fame had altered his former rival's behaviour.
The McLaren executive admitted earlier this year that their public sparring had "gone too far", though he placed responsibility squarely on Horner's shoulders.
Their hostile exchanges across the paddock intensified as McLaren and Red Bull battled fiercely on track, with both attempting to gain psychological advantages through verbal warfare.
McLaren boss Zak Brown has admitted the relationship with Christian Horner broke down over the time he knew him
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The tyre tampering accusations emerged towards the conclusion of last season when Red Bull formally complained to the FIA about McLaren's alleged rule-breaking.
The governing body conducted a thorough investigation but discovered no evidence of wrongdoing by the Woking-based team.
Brown dismissed the claims as baseless, insisting technical considerations alone would prevent such practices. "Regardless of legality, everyone in the sport knows you wouldn't do that for technical reasons," he explained.
The McLaren chief characterised these accusations as part of a pattern of behaviour he found unacceptable.
He had previously stated that whilst political manoeuvring was commonplace in Formula One, Horner's approach exceeded acceptable boundaries.
Max Verstappen also come under fire and was accused of being 'aggressive'
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"When you start getting into frivolous allegations, I think that's just going too far," Brown remarked, suggesting such tactics represented an unhealthy departure from sporting norms.
Brown elaborated on his sporting philosophy using a racing metaphor to distinguish between acceptable competitive behaviour and crossing ethical boundaries.
"Back when I was racing, there were drivers who raced hard and squeezed competitors' cars two wheels off the track. That's OK. But other drivers squeeze you four wheels off the track. That's not OK," he explained.
The American executive characterised himself as adhering to the former approach whilst categorising Horner as the latter. "I'm a two wheels off guy. Christian is a four wheels off guy," Brown stated.
When questioned directly about whether Horner competed fairly, Brown's response was unequivocal: "At times, no."
He suggested this extended beyond track battles into broader team management and political manoeuvring within the sport.
Brown's criticism extended beyond Horner to Red Bull's star driver Max Verstappen, whom he accused of excessive aggression on track. "He can be a bruiser, too aggressive on track. His arrogance comes out," Brown added.
The McLaren chief suggested Verstappen had repeatedly overstepped acceptable racing boundaries, particularly during his battles with Lewis Hamilton.
"Max has crossed the line on track at times, in Brazil against Lewis Hamilton over time. A handful of his passes on Lewis were overly aggressive," he stated.
Brown drew parallels between driver and team principal, noting that whilst many Formula One champions displayed arrogance, Verstappen's approach mirrored the confrontational style he attributed to Horner's Red Bull leadership.