Horner delivers defiant message after 847-day Red Bull run ends
Christian Horner has defiantly stated the F1 title fight is “far from over” this season following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Victory for Oscar Piastri and fourth place for Lando Norris in Baku saw McLaren take the lead in the constructors’ championship, moving 20 points clear of Red Bull.
Red Bull had led the standings since the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix – a run of 55 races – with the outfit’s team principal insisting it is still giving everything to win the title despite its current issues.
“Look, we’re pushing hard,” Horner told select media including RacingNews365. “We’re now not defending, we’re chasing.
“So it changes the dynamic again, and we’re just going to throw everything at it.”
The Milton Keynes-based outfit took a significant blow at the Baku City Circuit after Sergio Perez crashed on the penultimate lap with Carlos Sainz whilst battling for a podium.
It meant Max Verstappen’s P5 finish was the only points gained by Red Bull in Azerbaijan. McLaren has the clear advantage but Horner is not ruling his team out of the battle yet.
“We have taken a big hit in the constructors’,” noted the Briton. “We’ve got 20 points as a deficit now, so we have to attack.
“[We’ve] still got seven races and two sprint races to go. There are a lot of points up for grabs, and a lot of different circuits coming up. So it’s far from over.”
Perez ‘support’ role
A big talking point ahead of last weekend’s Azerbaijan GP was McLaren confirming Lando Norris would be prioritised, due to his chances in the drivers’ championship against Max Verstappen.
As has been the case at Red Bull since Perez joined at the start of the 2021 season, the Austrian outfit’s intra-team rules are clear.
Perez firmly remains the second driver who must support the reigning F1 champion for the entirety of the season.
“Every team is different,” added Horner. “Our rules of engagement are very clear, and what the focus to the end of the year is.
“We’ve got a driver that’s fighting for a world championship. It’s a team sport.
“So it’s very clear that Checo’s job is there to support Max to the end of the year.”
