In the high-stakes world of Formula 1, where every tweak to a car can mean the difference between victory and defeat, Christian Horner has taken a cheeky shot at Mercedes following Red Bull’s success at the Canadian Grand Prix.
During the Canadian Grand Prix, Mercedes’ technical director, James Allison, pointed out that Red Bull’s recent updates to the RB20 seemed more like downgrades. ‘It does look as if their upgrade was a downgrade,’ Allison commented. ‘Fingers crossed that would really mess them up. That [an upgrade not working] makes life hard, because the moment you stop trusting your tools, you have to backtrack, and you lose loads of time. Time is your biggest friend; losing it is your worst enemy.’
However, Red Bull had the last laugh as their star driver, Max Verstappen, clinched the win in Montreal. George Russell of Mercedes, despite starting from pole position, only managed to come third. Horner couldn’t resist responding to Allison’s remarks, saying, ‘Even with our downgrade, we managed to beat their upgrade. It was a rewarding race to win.’
The triumph in Canada was particularly sweet for Red Bull since the track exposed their car’s weakness in handling kerbs. What was supposed to be a challenging weekend turned into a victorious one, reminiscent of their unexpected win at Imola. Horner is now looking forward to upcoming tracks where Red Bull’s aerodynamic performance can shine. ‘The last couple of races have been more choppy waters for us, but we have still managed to win two out of the last three races,’ he stated. ‘We had a pole in Imola, we managed to match the pole time here with a car that both drivers are feeling its deficiencies. So there is a lot of focus on that to see if we can improve it.’
Despite the strong performance, Horner remains cautious. He acknowledged that the battle isn’t over and that competitors like Ferrari, McLaren, and an improving Mercedes will continue to be tough opponents. ‘We know there are circuits later in the year like Singapore where it [ride issues] could be a factor. But we really expect Ferrari, McLaren – and Mercedes who came into that window this weekend – to be competitive at every circuit. So I think despite having won six of the nine races – we are going to have to be top of our game to keep eking out a gap.’
Horner also expressed skepticism about Mercedes’ resurgence, noting that while they’ve shown strength in Canada, it’s too early to say if they are back to their winning ways. ‘Mercedes have always gone well on green circuits and there are no real high-speed corners here,’ he explained. ‘So with the asphalt change, it played possibly to their strengths. So let’s see over the next three tracks if it is genuine form or if it’s a one-off.’
As the season progresses, it’s clear that the competition remains fierce. Red Bull’s ability to adapt and stay ahead will be tested continuously. For now, Horner and his team can enjoy their success in Canada, while keeping a close eye on the challenges that lie ahead.
Source: Motorsport
