“He kept his head, kept pushing, kept driving” – Christian Horner has thanked world champion Max Verstappen for pulling Red Bull out of the pit throughout the 2021 season.
Red Bull had a terrific 2021 campaign, winning a title after a dry run of seven seasons. This was made possible by the collaborative effort of the team, and driven by the fantastic duo of world champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
It was a neck-to-neck battle with Mercedes, with the seven-time champions refusing to give an inch. The seven did become eight as they won the Constructors Championship.
Christian Horner pays tribute to Max Verstappen at today’s #FIAPrizeGiving2021. #F1 pic.twitter.com/KMQRWnnujd
— Ed Spencer (@EdSpencer99) December 16, 2021
But the happier side has been Red Bull since the finale at Abu Dhabi, with the team principal expressing delight at the team he heads, and the brilliant leadership ability of Verstappen.
“An incredible year. When you look back on the season as a whole, 22 races, the biggest season Formula 1 has had.
“It [was] so competitive, on average point one, point two of a second between the two drivers throughout the season.
“The way Max [drove] throughout the year…what really stood out for me was that in moments of adversity, he kept his head, kept pushing, kept driving the team forward, and we know every time he got in the car he has given it 110 percent, and that lifts everybody around them.”
“Particularly the second half of the year when we didn’t have the fastest package, he kept us in this championship, he kept fighting, he kept believing. It [was] just the most unbelievable year.
“We’re incredibly proud of everything he’s done and he’s totally deserving of the world championship.”
