In an intriguing new revelation, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has confessed to not believing in a Red Bull resurgence, given Mercedes’ dominance in the constructor’s championships. The Brackley-based team went undefeated in the constructor’s championship for eight years between 2014 and 2021, planting the seed of no confidence in the mind of Horner. However, 2022 came bearing good news for the British engineer.
“This car will go down in the history books”
A tribute to RB19 from Christian Horner #F1 @redbullracing https://t.co/3ESHnUxZ8i
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 28, 2023
When they first joined the grid, everyone saw Red Bull as a party team, according to Horner (quoted by F1 Maximaal). However, the team soon found its pace and quickly became top contenders for the constructors’ title. From 2010 to 2013, Red Bull won back-to-back championships, but a technical rule change meant they were no longer competitive. Nonetheless, Horner did not lose faith in his team and believed it was the key to their resurgence.
“There were times during that drought when it seemed unfeasible to return to the days of 2010 to 2013. I think it just shows that if you have a clear purpose, believe in the people around you and work together as a team, then everything is feasible.”
The 2021 season gave Red Bull their clearest sign of resurgence, with Max Verstappen going head-to-head against Lewis Hamilton throughout the season. It ultimately took the last lap of the last season, mixed with a little controversy, for Verstappen to clinch the drivers’ title.
Max Verstappen paved the way for Red Bull and Christian Horner to believe again
While Mercedes still won the constructors’ championship, Red Bull knew their time had come, and the team has won two consecutive titles since then. The latest regulations, which came into effect in the 2022 season, saw a major downfall of the Mercedes team, while Red Bull saw a meteoric rise to the top of the F1 realm. While the Milton Keynes-based team’s drivers became a familiar face at the top step of the podium, Mercedes’ drivers often struggled to finish in the top three.
Pure dominance from Max Verstappen in 2023 pic.twitter.com/797pFJSZqr
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 27, 2023
In fact, the Brackley-based team has secured only one win in the last two seasons, owing to George Russell, while Red Bull‘s Max Verstappen secured 19 wins in 2023 alone. Meanwhile, his arch-rival, Lewis Hamilton, has yet to win a race since 2021, further asserting the stark contrast in the performances of both teams under the new regulations. Even Ferrari, who were in contention for a championship for the first half of last year, paled in comparison to the Austrian team this season. Despite Carlos Sainz earning the Prancing Horse a win this season, it was never going to be enough, given Red Bull won the remaining 21.
