Red Bull and Honda celebrate 50 races together at the Belgian Grand Prix

Christian Horner says Red Bull Racing‘s relationship with engine partners Honda has gone from strength to strength in the two and a half seasons they have been together, and it is thanks to the Japanese engine maker that they will fight for both titles in 2021.

This weekend Belgian Grand Prix is the fiftieth race since the merger of Red Bull and Honda, and in that time they have claimed 11 race wins and 32 podiums.

Horner, Team Principal at Red Bull, says the team is “enormously” proud of what it has achieved in such a short time with Honda as an engine supplier.

“Our relationship with Honda has grown stronger since the start of the 2019 Formula 1 season,” said Horner. “We are extremely proud of our joint success so far with 11 victories and 32 podiums in 49 races.

“Spa will celebrate our 50th race together and this is a great moment to reflect on what has been achieved so far, to build on this success and also to thank everyone at Honda for their exceptional commitment and dedication that made it possible for us to be here Position to be “to fight for a championship this year.”

“We will all work as hard as possible to bring this adventure to a climax” – Toyoharu Tanabe

Toyoharu Tanabe, Honda Racing’s technical director, says Honda’s entry into Red Bull was a great step, especially after it failed with their previous partners at the McLaren F1 team.

Tanabe says he’s pleased that Red Bull has been “open and fair” in its approach to their relationship with Honda and they want to end their manufacturers’ interest in the sport with some more fantastic results by the end of the season.

“In a short period of time, we have achieved great results in this hybrid era, such as our first victory in Austria in 2019 and our first pole in Hungary in the same year, as well as our first double podium with Red Bull in Bahrain in 2020.” and, most recently, the fact that we have taken five wins in a row so far this year, ”said Tanabe.

“Honda was back in Formula 1 for four years before we came to Red Bull and we hadn’t even reached a podium. This is due to a lot of hard work and excellent communication from everyone at Honda and Red Bull.

“On the eve of our 50th race, I would like to thank Red Bull Racing for their open and fair approach and the trust they have placed in us, while pursuing the same goal. In addition, we must not forget the contribution made by the drivers during this time.

“Another important factor was our excellent cooperation with Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2018, which laid the foundation for a partnership between the two teams from the following year and we are proud of what we have achieved so far. There are only about a dozen races left for Honda’s F1 project and we will all work as hard as possible to bring this adventure to a climax. “

Red Bull and Honda celebrate fifty races together this weekend in Belgium – Source: Bryn Lennon / Getty Images