“The Drivers’ is where the prestige is”– Red Bull is ready to sacrifice their constructors’ title challenge to give the maiden championship to Max Verstappen.
Max Verstappen is one of the two protagonists in the championship battle against Lewis Hamilton in 2021. The two drivers are stuck in an intense deadlock, with only two points separating them with seven races still to go.
On the other hand, Red Bull is slowly losing ground against Mercedes in the constructors’ championship. Therefore, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is ready to sacrifice his team’s aim to win the constructors’ championship to prioritise Verstappen’s prospects to win the drivers’ title.
Though Horner finds both championships equally important, he finds more prestige in winning the drivers’ championship, defining his inclination.
“It’s a difficult one because you are so conflicted, because the cash is with the Constructors’, so for every single member of the team that is where Stefano [Domenicali] pays the money out, we don’t get a penny for who wins the Drivers’.”
“But the Drivers’ is where the prestige is, so I would say in value they have equal value, the prestige is with the Drivers’. I think, from a Red Bull perspective, if you had to pick one over the two, you go Drivers’ because that is where the prestige is.”
“But we want to be in that number one garage next year, that’s our target and Sergio [Perez] has got a key role to play in that, he’s had a run of bad luck, but that will turn.”
“And I think we are still throwing everything at it in both of these Championships.”
Red Bull motivated by Max Verstappen’s title challenge
Horner reveals that due to the stiff championship battle, his team is highly motivated. Moreover, the spectacles delivered by Hamilton and Verstappen are just increasing excitement with every race.
“We just enjoy going to races more,” Horner stated. “You go to races in with a chance and I think the whole team is feeling that opportunity, that chance.”
“This is the first time anybody has taken a Mercedes anywhere near this at this stage in a season, so seven to go, all to play for, we are going to throw everything at it that we possibly can.”
“So are we up for it? Absolutely. Are we enjoying it? We’re loving it. There is a bunch of races coming up after we get America out of the way, three on the bounce, it’s going to be tough and it’s going to be brutal on the teams, brutal on the cars. But it’s going to be a fascinating contest.”
