Red Bull Racing’s Christian Horner believes beating Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton for the 2021 F1 drivers’ championship this season would be their greatest achievement if they can do it.
With six races remaining and six points between Hamilton and Red Bulls Max Verstappen, this year’s title race was one of the most competitive in years.
Speaking to The Guardian, Horner said:
“This will be our greatest success. When you look at the strength of Mercedes and the dominance they had, it’s clear that no one has come near them in years. Nobody put them under such pressure at this stage of the season. So it will be an enormous achievement if we can do it. “
Horner noted that compared to their title bouts against Ferrari and McLaren in the 2010s, the battle with Mercedes was fought off track more often than on this one. He said:
“Compared to the championship years when we competed with Ferrari and McLaren from 2010 to 2013, it was completely different. There’s a lot more going on behind the scenes, the FIA’s ongoing campaign with all aspects of our car. You have to defend yourself if you are attacked like at the beginning of the year – be it the concept of aerodynamics with the FIA, pit stops or other aspects of the chassis, whatever. “
Red Bulls Verstappen is unlike any other Hamilton has ever met
Horner also pointed out that Verstappen was unlike anyone else Hamilton has faced so far in his championship reign, and that this appears to be having an effect.
“Lewis has had an incredible career and is still in fantastic shape. He’s still a titan of the sport. The fact that Max is able to be on par with him probably hasn’t had Lewis in his entire career – certainly in the championship years. There is nothing with this intensity. “
Horner believes the lure of an unprecedented eighth title has put significant pressure on the Briton as he nears the end of his driving career:
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“Of course there is a lot at stake for him, because he is aiming for a record eighth championship, Max is aiming for his first championship and he knows that he has many years ahead of him.”
The F1 circus is heading to Austin, Texas for the United States Grand Prix this weekend. Circuit of the Americas has traditionally favored Mercedes because of its long straights, and Hamilton has five wins out of eight attempts to secure it. This season, however, the races have not always been as easy as in previous years and Horner certainly hopes that Verstappen will start a new trend with a win on Sunday.
Edited by Sandeep Banerjee
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