Red Bull’s dominance continued in the Chinese Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen securing his fourth win in five races this season. Mercedes, on the other hand, struggled once again, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finishing well off the pace.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, seized the opportunity to take a dig at his rival Toto Wolff, the boss of Mercedes. Horner believes Wolff should focus on resolving Mercedes’ performance issues rather than speculating about signing Verstappen.
“I don’t think Toto’s problems are his drivers; I think he’s probably got other elements that he needs to be focusing on rather than focusing on drivers that are unavailable,” Horner said.
Verstappen’s long-term future at Red Bull has been the subject of speculation, especially after Horner faced accusations of inappropriate behavior. However, the team principal insists that Verstappen is happy with Red Bull and has no reason to leave.
“We know that he has a contract to the end of 2028 – it’s about how he feels in the team and the relationship he has in the team and the way he’s performing,” Horner said.
Despite Red Bull’s success, Horner acknowledges that it won’t last forever and that they should appreciate Verstappen’s exceptional talent while they can.
“Max is just a metronome. The pace he showed last year, he has continued that through,” Horner said.
“And since the last Chinese Grand Prix in 2019, he has won 50 percent of all the races. He has won 21 out of the last 23 races. He is in fantastic form, at one with the car and the team and enjoying his racing.”
Verstappen’s dominance has raised concerns about the sport becoming too predictable. McLaren’s Lando Norris expressed that seeing the same driver win without a fight can be boring for fans. However, Horner believes success should be celebrated and that Verstappen’s achievements are a testament to his exceptional talent.
