When the 2021 season kicked off, everyone knew that the dogfight would be between Mercedes and Red Bull. Owing to this, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff is salivating at the idea of a fierce Mercedes-Red Bull battle. According to him, the situation is such that it is “gloves off” between the two F1 teams.

Without a doubt, the 2021 championship is getting spicy, as 1 point separates Mercedes from Red Bull. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen leads Lewis Hamilton by 4 points in the driver’s title race.

In addition to that, there is also the technical battle in the form of the row surrounding the infamous Red Bull flexi-wings.

In the last seven years, Mercedes has swept both the drivers and constructors’ titles without much resistance. So the Silver Arrows are fairly glad that someone has finally stepped up to the plate.

In fact, Wolff even praised his Red Bull counterpart, Christian Horner, for helping his team during their own dominant run from 2010 to 13.

What did the Mercedes team principal say about Red Bull?

“Yes, we love the battle,” he said. “It’s just what the doctor ordered after the past seven years. The relationship is always respectful.

“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.

“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.”

This weekend, the F1 fraternity pays a visit to the Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan. The street circuit has served up plenty of drama in the past, and with the Red Bull–Mercedes tussle intensifying, things should be interesting.

Of course, both outfits will also have to keep a wary eye out for McLaren and Ferrari, who are in the middle of a resurgence. Both of those teams are also locked in a fierce championship battle, with two points separating them.