After consecutive victories, the Red Bull looked like a dominant force again. Things were not going their way earlier in May, as rivals like Ferrari and McLaren were right behind. Despite Verstappen’s excellence, he was unable to safeguard the Miami fortress. While the team had a thoroughly disastrous outing in Monaco, the Canada GP yielded mixed results. Thus, with Sergio Perez feeling underconfident after a couple of DNFs, the pressure is mounting on the Bulls.
While Red Bull has been on a winning streak, Ferrari and McLaren are not far behind. Both teams have shown impressive speed on the track, with McLaren’s only obstacle being its ability to handle pressure. Christian Horner is well aware of these rivals’ capabilities and believes that the competition for the World Title has intensified.
Horner Warns Red Bull Ahead Of The Home Grand Prix
The Barcelona track is among the most challenging circuits. It offers a variety of high- and low-speed corners, helping F1 teams better understand their cars. Furthermore, it is often said that the fastest car in the Spanish Grand Prix tends to remain the fastest throughout the season. Although Max Verstappen won the race in Barcelona, his RB20 was not the fastest. Meanwhile, Lando Norris, who finished second, was the quickest in almost every lap. Further, the Spielberg track is similar to the second phase of the Barcelona circuit. Therefore, the Red Bull camp is tense, expecting a threat from McLaren. To further rile up their tension, McLaren has lost two close races. Thus, the squad would be adamant to prove a point.
Besides McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes are confident they will perform well on the Spielberg circuit. Although Ferrari lost its path in the three-way fight for the title, it remains in the second spot. Whereas, Mercedes has recently re-discovered the Mojo and is in full flow to further squeeze the competition. Therefore, when Christian Horner was asked about the Austrian GP, he seemed cautious about the rivals. Horner said it’d be like Brands Hatch or Indy circuit, as the difference between the drivers would be half-tenths. Further, he expects McLaren and Lando Norris to be quick again. However, the Briton was unsure what to expect from Ferrari and Mercedes. Ultimately, he praised Norris for stepping up. At the same time, the Red Bull Racing CEO wants the team to understand the deficiencies and work on them.
“Ignore 2023,” Horner Wants The Team To Get Over The ‘Unicorn Phase’
Christian Horner, on the other hand, urged the team to exit the ‘2023 Unicorn phase,’ which saw them win 21 of 22 races. He indicated that the other teams had greatly improved, leaving no space for error.
Finally, Horner stated that everything would come together, and the team would reestablish absolute dominance in the 2026 season. However, at the moment, the squad must work hard for wins and be at the peak of its game.