Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

How Ogier’s scary crash opened up Finnish WRC history for Pajari

Feature
WRC
Rally Finland
How Ogier’s scary crash opened up Finnish WRC history for Pajari

What role does a MotoGP rider really play in bike development?

MotoGP
What role does a MotoGP rider really play in bike development?

Why Lindblad hasn’t felt the pressure in F1

Feature
Formula 1
Why Lindblad hasn’t felt the pressure in F1

Fairclough finally flies in GB3 at Silverstone as Bedrin maintains his advantage

National
Fairclough finally flies in GB3 at Silverstone as Bedrin maintains his advantage

Ogier commits to contest all remaining WRC rounds in bid for 10th title

WRC
Rally Finland
Ogier commits to contest all remaining WRC rounds in bid for 10th title

Every circuit to have hosted a WEC round since 2012

WEC
Every circuit to have hosted a WEC round since 2012

Early BMW Super Tourer and Polley Toyota recreation among Touring Car Rewind highlights

National
Early BMW Super Tourer and Polley Toyota recreation among Touring Car Rewind highlights

How WRC drivers reacted to FIA’s landmark promoter deal

WRC
Rally Finland
How WRC drivers reacted to FIA’s landmark promoter deal

Red Bull welcomes rivals' turnaround

Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner believes the return to form of teams like McLaren and Ferrari is a boost rather than a threat to his outfit's championship ambitions

With Lewis Hamilton taking McLaren's first win of the season, and Kimi Raikkonen delivering Ferrari's best result of the year, the main title contenders could only play a supporting role at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

However, Horner thinks that other teams closing in on Red Bull and Brawn could well be a benefit in taking points off his title rivals.

"This was never going to be our best circuit here, and there are more players coming into the game now," he explained. "There is the step that McLaren has made, I think Renault has also made a step and Williams, in fairness, their car also looks very promising.

"So for us the best thing is to have the most cars between us and Brawn as we possibly can."

Red Bull's RB5 is now viewed as the fastest car in the field, and Horner thinks it should start to excel once the calendar returns to more traditional high-speed venues.

"I think once we get back to more classic tracks we'll start to see hopefully a similar performance from our car [to Silverstone and the Nurburgring] and it will be interesting to see where the Brawns are," he said.

"I think it will yo-yo, be circuit dependant and there will be some tracks that will really play to the strength of our car."

Although the imminent factory shutdowns in F1 means Red Bull Racing will have a temporary break in the head of steam it has built up, Horner thinks the holiday will allow the team to recharge itself ready for the next push.

"I think it's a well deserved respite for the guys. We can't keep pushing them at the rate they are going. They deserve two weeks off and will come back fully charged and pumped up for Valencia onwards.

"The momentum can change so quickly, and the rate of development this year is relentless. Whoever gets the most performance to their car the quickest is going to win this championship.

"We are fully focused on keeping the development flat out until the end of the year."

Previous article Grapevine: Paddock Life: Hungaroring edition
Next article Ferrari confident of Massa recovery

Top Comments

Latest news