Mercedes was at pains to point out that Toto Wolff's "yapping little terrier" jibe had been directed at his opposite Formula 1 team principal number at Red Bull, Christian Horner.
Its communications team knew he was planning to say something on the media day for the season finale here in Abu Dhabi. But not that he’d so overtly infiltrate George Russell’s press briefing – standing over his charge less like a protective parent, but more a united front of point making.
