Horner: 2009 will make RBR stronger

The Milton Keynes-based outfit has secured second place in the constructors' championship behind Brawn GP after five victories and 14 podium finishes.

Red Bull was in the fight for the titles until last weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, where rival Brawn sealed both championships.

Red Bull has enjoyed its first race-winning season since joining Formula 1, and Horner believes there is no reason why his team cannot keep its momentum going.

"I don't see any reason why we won't be able to build on the continuity and success that we have enjoyed this year, but for sure we have got some formidable opponents," said Horner.

"We must remember that we are still an independent team and I think the team can be very proud of what it has achieved this year. As I said, we will only get stronger as a group going into next year."

Horner also reckons the team has learned a lot of valuable lessons that will help the squad, and its drivers, be stronger in the future.

"If you look over the season, I am sure every driver and team has hard luck stories as well, but I think we had our fair share of bad luck this year, but we also have to reflect on a really strong season," Horner said.

"We won our fifth grand prix in Brazil. We scored more than 130 points, we had our 14th podium. We have had three 1-2 finishes so far, and I think the progress that Red Bull has made it significant.

"And we have learned a lot of lessons from this season, and we will only get stronger as a group. And I am sure Sebastian [Vettel], for someone of such young age, is a world champion of the future."

Horner, whose team started the season without a double diffuser, acknowledges Jenson Button's strong start to the year dented Red Bull's chances significantly.

And despite Button's shaky second half of the campaign, Horner admitted the Briton was a worthy world champion.

"He did a lot of damage in the first seven races and he has mopped up the points since then. A championship is over a whole year, and history book will not look at how the form flowed over the year.

"So I think he is a worthy champion. I am very pleased for him. He has worked very hard for it and we will beat him next year."

He added: "I think it had a significant impact at the beginning of the year, but you have to look at the championship as a whole. We lost out quite a lot at the beginning of the year, but it wasn't just down to the double diffuser."