Christian Horner has admitted that the 2024 season has been very difficult. The Red Bull boss saw his team suffer what looked like the end of a cycle, with departures and performance struggles. But he salutes the resilience of his employees and the excellence of Max Verstappen.
“We won nine races, nine pole positions, four Sprint victories and defended the drivers’ championship with two rounds remaining. It’s a testament to the way Max drove last year, but also to the team, which never gave up and remained focused on performance” Horner told Planet F1.
“It’s definitely been a very difficult year. There’s been a lot to deal with, but we’ve always stayed focused on the track. Obviously, we’ve had some changes within the team as well.”
“But we are evolving for the future and I think we are in a good position for that. My passion has always been to compete. That’s what I stand up for. Once a competitor, always a competitor. When the lights go on turn off, that’s what it’s all about.”
If he talks about the passion he has for Formula 1, it’s because Horner is the most experienced director in Formula 1, and one of only two besides Toto Wolff to have been in the job longer than 2022. He says he never thought about retirement despite the difficulties.
“I never had that idea in mind, to be honest with you. The next chapter for Red Bull Powertrains is very exciting, it’s the biggest challenge we’ve faced in the 20 years we’ve been in this sport. I think the next chapter is potentially one of the most exciting. You’re always learning in this business.”
The Briton details the difficulties suffered by his team and the challenges faced by Red Bull and Verstappen: “You never give up, you ignore the noise your rivals may make and you focus on yourself.”
“I think the biggest lesson is that we have tremendous strength and depth on this team and a very passionate and committed group of people who have pulled together this year and worked through thick and thin.”
“Max has had, in many ways, his most impressive championship, because the challenges have been totally different. We started the season with a very dominant car, but he really had to roll up his sleeves and fight very hard for every victory, every point on the days he couldn’t win.”
“Even in his home race, he chose to take the points for second place. He ran a very mature campaign, and he worked entirely with his engineers and, you know, the staff behind the scenes.”
Red Bull suffered the departure of Adrian Newey among others, and despite the difficulty this presents, Horner denies that it has had a direct impact on the RB20’s performance: “Of course it’s sad to see Adrian leave, he was instrumental in the team during his time with us.”
“But it’s a coincidence that the weekend he announced his departure was the weekend we had a bit of a downturn! No one person can have such an impact so quickly. I think Adrian would be the first to admit.”
“But I think what I’m really happy with is the way the team bounced back at the end of the year – pole position and victory in Qatar, which would have been unimaginable at the end of the year. August or early September.”
After the last year with Honda, Red Bull will become an engine manufacturer in association with Ford, and Horner recognizes that the difficulties are colossal to get up to the level of his rivals. He admits that the project will certainly lag behind the references that are Ferrari and Mercedes.
“The 2026 season will be a complete reset, and we are building an engine where four years ago we had a clean sheet. In four years we built a factory and developed an engine, but we are fighting against 75 years experience at Ferrari and 30 years at Mercedes HPP, so we have no illusions.”
“The mountain we have to climb is huge, but with the good spirit and quality people we have within the company, we will succeed. This is by far the biggest challenge we have faced in Formula 1 .”
