‘Clearly, the most talented driver ever [at Red Bull]’: Christian Horner lavishes high praise upon Max Verstappen
Christian Horner and Max Verstappen celebrating the Dutchman's championship win in 2021
Christian Horner expressed his views on the best driver that has ever driven for Red Bull. With a bunch of amazing and world-class drivers like David Coulthard, Mark Webber, Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel that have driven for Red Bull over the years, Horner surely has his favourite one. With six driver championships and four constructors championships, which could turn into five by Austin in 2022, Horner has seen the growth of a drinks company into a racing team.
Sebastian Vettel won Red Bull their first title and went on to win three more continuously. Red Bull ever since Vettel’s exit and with the start of the new regulations haven’t really been on the top of their plays. Well, until now. But they did win races almost every year, after Vettel’s exit, Red Bull relied quite a bit on Daniel Ricciardo but also on the young Max Verstappen, who is now a two-time world champion.
As per Motorsport Week, Horner explained a particularly impressive occurence: “What stood out was Spa, when he drove round the outside of Felipe Nasr. I thought: ‘This boy is properly brave, committed and quick.’ You saw it that season, he was a shining star. It was evident immediately he was a prodigious talent.”
Christian Horner gives his final impression of the best Red Bull driver
Christian Horner did not mince words when naming who he thought had been Red Bull’s best driver: Max Verstappen. The 25-year-old has been unstoppable in 2022 and ever since he got a real chance to fight on the top. Even before that, his brilliance was on show in 2020 when Mercedes’s dominance was at its peak and the Dutchman brought home two victories all by himself. 2021 was the real chance for Max to win his first title and he did so.
“He is quite clearly the most talented driver that I think we have had in one of our cars. I’ve never seen anything like it, what we witnessed that day was something special. The great thing is he is just open to pushing himself in all areas, he always feels there’s more to be had,” said Horner.
Christian Horner concluded his verdict for the best by mentioning one of his remembered Max moments back in the 2018 Monaco GP. Verstappen planted his Red Bull on the walls in FP3 and that ruined his race after not going through the qualifying.
Horner talked to Verstappen and the final outcome was an improved Verstappen, with maturity, and better intellect ever since, with the Briton saying that ‘he was like a metronome’ after talking to him.
Soham Raj Jain
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