Christian Horner joined Red Bull upon its conception in 2005 and has spent 17 seasons with the Milton Keynes team. This makes Horner the most experienced team principal in the current F1 grid and 4th longest serving team boss in the sport’s history.
The Briton has completed 350 race starts with Red Bull and secured 95 race wins. Under his leadership, Red Bull went from minnows to five-time constructors champions.
Horner is often praised for his fantastic organizational skills and his fighting spirit. However, the Red Bull boss believes his continued success with Red Bull can also be attributed to a special pre-race ritual.
Staggering to think that in 2023 60% of the F1 grid will have Team Principals in just their first or second seasons in charge. Of the 4 longterm leaders, Horner longest standing TP followed by Tost, Wolff and Steiner.
— Will Buxton (@wbuxtonofficial) December 13, 2022
What is Horner’s pre-race ritual?
Horner revealed that he still maintains some pre-race rituals and practices from his early days in F1. The Briton has been following it since he became a Red Bull boss in 2005.
“I have always stood in the garage at the start of the Grand Prix,” Horner claimed. Part of this ritual extends from a former regulation requiring all team personnel to remain in the garage before a race start.
He added, “It used to be regulatory that you have to be in the garage. and then that ruling was changed several years ago.” Once the race is started, Horner moves and takes his seat in the pit wall.
Though Horner hesitates to give the entire credit to his ritual, his practices have directly contributed to Red Bull’s rise in the sport. It has surely helped him get in his zone ahead of the race.
The Red Bull team principal said, “We’ve won 95 races with me doing that, so I thought why to change it? I think there are these superstitious things that creep into your preparation which help you mentally get in the right frame of mind.”
Christian Horner is the last person to reach the race track
Christian Horner is also one of the last members of the team to reach the paddock on a race weekend. However, the team principal’s late arrival also serves a purpose.
Horner shared, “I tend to arrive at a venue on Thursday afternoon or evening. So I tend to be one of the last there. If there are any parts to be carried then I’m the last available carrier.”
How long will Max Verstappen continue in F1? 🤔
Christian Horner gives his thoughts. 💬 pic.twitter.com/ylZqPzbRFh
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) April 12, 2023
Being one of the longest-serving team bosses and due to his team’s success, Horner has a large fan following. The Briton also loves to spend some time signing memorabilia for fans and meeting them.
He added, “Fans are the lifeblood of why we exist. So it’s only fair and right when the fans stand there for hours to meet the drivers and principals that you give a bit back by taking half an hour to sign some autographs and shake some hands.”
However, the rest of the weekend is pretty hectic for the team boss. Horner usually remains in the garage or the Red Bull motorhome until parc ferme on all days. He attends all team briefings and must fulfill all sponsor requirements on weekends.
