The rivalry with Ferrari is more respectful than the one with Mercedes for Horner

The battle for the global crown in 2021 was decided during the final race in Abu Dhabi with a tie in points between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. But throughout the season, the two drivers fiercely fought on the track, while their team principals, Toto Wolff and Christian Horner, regularly clashed through the media.

The tension had reached its peak between the two men, but for Christian Horner, there is little chance of seeing such animosity between Red Bull and Ferrari this season, despite the fierce battle between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen.

« Mattia Binotto is a nice guy. So it’s just another type of competition. But you are ruling out Toto too quickly. He has plenty of time to get back in the race. Last year, there were a lot of jabs, a lot was happening off the track as well as on the track,” explains Christian Horner.

This year, we are much more focused on what happens on the track, and I think the race between Charles and Max has been great. The first races have been epic. And if this continues throughout the season, inevitably, it will overflow at some point, as the competition becomes more intense and the stakes higher in the second half of the year, warns the British driver.

Christian Horner does not want to bury Mercedes too quickly, as he believes they are capable of getting back into the fight. But it is certain that what we have seen so far is a very respectful race, a tough race, but a fair race. And as I said, I believe you will see Mercedes join this battle fairly quickly.

The boss of Red Bull also commented on the relationship between Leclerc and Verstappen. The two young drivers, who have known each other since their karting days, have not always had a good relationship. But this season, a mutual respect reigns between the top two in the standings.

“I think it’s so tight with Ferrari, there have been some great races, and you can see that there is a great respect between Charles and Max. They enjoy racing against each other, it’s obvious, and I was hoping that we wouldn’t be facing another competitive year like last year, but it seems that this one might be a close battle until the end as well,” explains Horner.

Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen have stamped their mark on the beginning of the season. The Dutchman has won three races compared to two for the Monegasque. However, the Ferrari driver is currently leading thanks to Verstappen’s two retirements at the start of the season. Nevertheless, the battle between the two men is certainly far from over. The next confrontation will be next weekend in Barcelona.