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Red Bull’s Christian Horner has accused Mercedes of using “underhand” tactics over the winter and trying to discredit Max Verstappen’s World title win.

Even though the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix took place in mid-December and we are the cusp of beginning an all-new 2022 season, it appears not everybody is ready to move on from the hugely controversial events that saw the Drivers’ World Championship title pass from Lewis Hamilton to Verstappen on the very last lap.

Both Mercedes and Red Bull say they have closed the book on the 2021 campaign, yet there is a barely a day that goes by without someone from the two respective camps re-opening it.

This time it is Horner, who is less than impressed with Mercedes “underhand” tactics over the winter break and thinks this behaviour is deflecting away from the mistakes he felt the Silver Arrows made on that never-to-be-forgotten day.

“I felt what was going on behind the scenes over the Christmas period was a bit underhand,” Horner told the Daily Mail.

“The pressure that was put on the FIA, the positioning, the pressure that was put on the race director, to try to discredit what we had achieved.

“The reality was Michael Masi didn’t break their own rules.

“Mercedes had all the same strategic options available that we did, they made a mistake strategically not pitting Lewis at the virtual safety car but then