Christian Horner says he is still in recovery mode from the F1 2021 season and he wishes for competition but credits the team for such hardwork.
The 2021 F1 season was the turning point in this era when Red Bull took the drivers’ title away from Mercedes and kicked-off their domination in the years to follow. They took the constructors’ title in 2022 and are on course to win both this year too.
Even though it is termed boring by the big lot, F1 teams and drivers do tend to wish for domination to win as many championships they can. In the current period, Horner has the same view of wanting competition – at least on the face of it.
But interestingly, he notes that he is still in the recovery mode from 2021 which was one of the heated up rivalries in the current era between Mercedes and Red Bull where Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen went all out in a lot of grands prix.
While there is wish for competition, Horner is pleased with how Red Bull has worked hard to make its return to the top after 2013. “There’s not one ounce of it that wishes for more challenge,” he said. “I think I’m still in recovery from 2021. And look, the results like that in Spa, it’s the combination of teamwork.
“And that’s why you guys have seen Greg [Reeson], our garage technician that looks after all the tyres in the garage, to go and get the constructors’ trophy, because it’s about every member of the team, every department in the factory doing their job, you don’t achieve these kind of results by accident.
“And I think that it’s a golden moment for our team. And I think that just absolutely take a hat off to everybody behind the scenes, everybody that’s working as hard as they are to achieve this kind of performance,” summed up Horner, who hailed the record-breaking wins for a team for the first time since 1988.
“I mean, to have achieved that kind of milestone, to have won all 12 races this year, 13 in a row since Abu Dhabi last year,” said Horner. “20 out of the last 21, is frankly something unprecedented, and I think that it’s just testimony to the hard work, the effort, the commitment that goes on behind the scenes.
“Because it’s not so much what you see trackside, it’s what you see behind the scenes, in the factory, throughout all the different departments, each having to go that extra yard. And all the men and women back in Milton Keynes are doing an outstanding job and to have achieved this 35-year record, the first time since 1988, is something that we’re all incredibly proud of.”
Even though there is domination, Horner notes that the challenge is quite a lot when they are hunted because it is not just that they are being chased on track, but also off it as the rival F1 teams are looking to poach personals and even sponsors.
“The challenges are always different because, when you’re the hunter, you’ve got everybody focussed on the target ahead of you; when you suddenly become the hunted, it’s a different type of pressure,” said Horner.
“And, of course, we have numerous approaches from all these guys, chasing all our staff, sponsors, you name it. And I think getting there is one thing, staying there is another. But I think the spirit, the culture that we have within the team is something that we’ve got great strength in depth and have enjoyed great continuity over a long period of time, which again is so important in this business.”
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