Max Verstappen continues to make Red Bull happy since it is now almost certain that his 4th title will be the only one the team will collect this year, McLaren F1 and Ferrari now being quite far ahead in the constructors' championship even if there is still 145 points to be awarded to Qatar (and its Sprint) and Abu Dhabi.
Christian Horner recognizes this, with a little perspective after the finish, “It’s been the hardest since 2021, that’s for sure.”
“We started very well, but the others came back on us during the summer, McLaren, Mercedes Ferrari, they all seemed competitive.”
“Max never lost his cool, he led when he had the car, and when that wasn't the case, he managed to extract all the performance from it. That's why he was stronger than his rivals this year, and he did an incredible job.”
And without taking risks today, a sign of maturity?
“We looked competitive on the medium tires, and we were doing well on the first stint on the hard tires. We had some graining but Max didn't want to take any risks. The goal was to beat Lando today and we achieved that. And seeing him crowned a fourth time is special.”
Red Bull appreciates this competition even if the constructors' title will be absent this season.
“I think it galvanized the team. We had to fight, and it galvanized the team, it brought them together. And behind the scenes, there were long nights, very early mornings in Milton Keynes, their involvement is phenomenal and this success is theirs.”
Horner refuses to take stock of Red Bull now. But Max's is already clear.
“It's been a roller coaster year and Max has been truly exceptional, we've hit the ground running, we've had a tough summer but he's continued to get results. He's won eight Grands Prix, more than the twice as much as any other driver and he has been nothing short of exceptional this year – it was his best and toughest championship – he showed maturity and rose to the occasion on the days when the car was not quite up to par. done there.”
“No one deserves this championship more than Max, it was hard won and all credit goes to the men and women behind the scenes at Milton Keynes who worked tirelessly for hours during the weeks, late nights and early mornings . It was hard.”
“When we did it with Seb, 4 titles… I thought we would never repeat that, and winning in 2021 was huge, and standing here with Max after having four wins and joining a group of champions d “Elite places him among the greatest of all time.”
“He has more hunger than I have ever seen in a driver, his dedication, hard work and belief in himself makes him one of the most phenomenal drivers I have ever seen.”
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