Christian Horner denounces a low blow from the competition

British manager Christian Horner assures that a competing team contacted Red Bull's sponsors to harm his team after the case of exceeding the capped budget.

Published on 26/03/2023 à 12:40

Jeremy Satis

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Christian Horner denounces a low blow from the competition

Christian Horner remains on alert. © Xavi Bonilla / DPPI

Christian Horner is not happy, and he says it! The successful main team of Red Bull Although he is in the much envied chair of boss of the dominant team, he continues to pay very close attention to his opponents – or perhaps we should say to his enemies – to the point of saying it out loud in the press .

Remember, at the end of last year, we learned that Red Bull had been guilty of a budget overrun of around 1,8 million pounds on the 2021 capped budget, during the year of the first title of Max Verstappen. The Milton Keynes team was fined 7 million pounds, and above all a wind tunnel time penalty of 10% for one year compared to the competition.

Christian Horner Red Bull

Christian Horner is satisfied with his team's last two years. © Xavi Bonilla / DPPI

In an interview with British media i, Christian Horner has indeed denounced acts " sly " orchestrated by competition. “One of our adversaries contacted our sponsors and partners arguing that we would harm their brand image, assures the Englishman. “My wife always told me that a pat on the back wasn't far from a kick in the ass. The important thing is to be comfortable with the decisions you make. That’s all that matters and that’s how I approach my job.”

Red Bull, the fear of a technical directive

For now, Christian Horner is the happiest team principal in the world after the last two titles obtained by his protégé Max Verstappen. The supersonic start to the 2023 season of his troops could push him to relax a little and relax, as the superiority of his RB18 is enormous. But he knows too well that this would have no other consequence than that of bringing about the end of the domination of his people. 

Red Bull

Red Bull during the 2022 awards ceremony. © Damien Saulnier / DPPI

“There is always something, like a technical directive which can come down and which can completely change the situation”he says. “And you can be sure the others will wonder how they can slow us down.” It's part of the game. Having experienced it in the past, you become more seasoned in how to handle it. » It must be said that Red Bull and Horner also tended, between 2014 and 2020, to try by all means to slow down the untouchables Mercedes. It's a good fight! 

In this same interview, Horner seemed to regret the lack of popularity of his team in the community, while having an idea of ​​the reason for this supposed disenchantment, in a very British media world. “If we had a British driver like a certain team based in Brackley it would probably be different… we are too easily seen as the bad guys.” Come on, come on Christian, don't make us believe that you don't take great pleasure in being in this role! 

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Jeremy Satis

Great F1 reporter & passionate about promotional formulas

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26/03/2023 at 02:15 a.m.

Ah Dear Christian, would he like us to believe that he is beyond reproach and that he has never attempted a "low blow" in this basket of sharks that is the F1 paddock since he has been there, especially during the years of Mercedes' reign???

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