Horner speaks out about the rivalry with Mercedes
The two teams have been fighting a fierce battle since the beginning of the season which continues to intensify. The head of the Red Bull team explains his opinion on this end of the season.
There are two Grand Prix left to witness the conclusion of this incredible season, Red Bull leads the driver’s championship by 8 points, but Mercedes is ahead in the constructors’ championship by 5 points. Christian Horner, the team leader of Red Bull, praises the efforts of his team that managed to catch up to Mercedes this season.
« Don’t forget that 60% of the Mercedes car is an inheritance from last year. And last year, it was the most dominant car they have ever had. So the reaction of this team has been phenomenal, explains Christian Horner.
A very intense championship and very different from what Horner has experienced during his 16 years at the helm of Red Bull.
« When we were racing against Ferrari or McLaren… Stefano [Domenicali] was leading Ferrari at the time and there was always a handshake, you know, after the race. It was different. This one seemed very political off the track. The positioning, the posture, the politics of the governing body, the drivers, and the teams. »
« Perhaps we were a bit naive, because for us, everything depends on what happens on the track. And then you find that when you are attacked, you have to defend yourself,” Horner confides.
The English driver also commented on the recent decisions of the FIA, particularly on its reprimand for accusing a steward of “dishonesty.”
« I think that my comments may have inadvertently singled out a race director, which was not the intention. Besides, where is the consistency? The weekend before, [Mercedes] told the race director to go f*** himself. My comments seemed insignificant in comparison, recounts the chief of Red Bull.
Decisions by the FIA often criticized by Mercedes or Red Bull. All of this does nothing to ease the tension between the two teams, especially since Christian Horner believes that Lewis Hamilton was provoking Max Verstappen.
Lewis is constantly dropping subtle jibes or provocations. But I think the good thing about Max is that he doesn’t give a damn. He is who he is, concluded Horner.
