Christian Horner opens up with complete confidence

Saturday after the qualifying session, Red Bull could believe in a very promising race, with their two cars on the front row. Sunday, as the Chinese Grand Prix had just ended, the Austrian bulls with clipped wings had to settle for 6th and 8th place. The Chinese weekend for Christian Horner’s men turned into a disaster.

However, the team director believes he can identify many positive aspects in this first part of the season, he answers questions:

Question. Was China a repeat of the circumstances of the Australian Grand Prix?

Christian Horner: «The problem with the weather is that it was very intermittent. When you start the race in 1st and 2nd position, you have more to lose than others. Fernando (Alonso) obviously had a significantly good start, Mark had a good start and both drivers insisted they needed intermediate tires because there was too much moisture for slicks. So, we decided to pit them in the same lap. Unfortunately, Mark bumped into the mechanic’s quick-lift placed in front of the car, damaging his front wing and the quick-lift. This cost him time and ultimately, it also cost Seb (Vettel) time during the first pit stop.

After that, their pace was respectable. They then began marking their positions in the heart of the race. At the second stop, Sebastian (Vettel) nearly collided with Lewis (Hamilton) as he exited the pit, and I was very surprised by McLaren’s decision to release him alongside Sebastian. One behind the other, they quickly caught up with Sutil; Sebastian went to the left, but Sutil continued and touched him with his front wing. Lewis took advantage of the situation to pass.

We lost too much time behind the Force India at that moment, and moreover, the tires we had couldn’t cover the distance, so we decided to switch to intermediates very early to catch up with the others. We had to deal with a big challenge with Kubica, but unfortunately, staying stuck behind his gearbox really deteriorated the front tires.

Mark, on intermediates, was one of the first to lose ground at the restart, he lost a lot of terrain, he climbed back up to what was eventually the eighth place in the race. It’s far from a straightforward race with these very difficult conditions, nevertheless, the sixth and eighth places bring very precious points. It’s simply frustrating, of course, because with a less chaotic race, I think the competition wouldn’t have caught us.

Question. You have had many wheel problems during the first four races, is this a fundamental design issue or is each problem different?

Christian Horner: «They are different. The problem here is that Mark mispositioned his car during his first stop and hit the quick lift. I think they made eight stops today, and I believe five of them were without problems, and for three of them, we had an issue. I don’t know what Lewis’s problem was because he came in early, and we were efficient and ahead of him when he left.»

Question. You had the fastest car in the first four races, but it’s the team with the third fastest car that is leading the championship. What lessons do you draw from these early races and what needs to change to launch your campaign for the world title?

Christian Horner: We know we have a fast car. I think in the conditions of the race in China, it’s not just a question of strategy, there is an element of luck. And when you start seventh and eighth, you have less to lose and more to gain. We are heading to Europe after four races where we’ve achieved two 1-2 finishes and a 1-3 on the starting grid. So, I think there are a lot of positives. As you’ve seen with Ferrari here, they didn’t manage to score big points either. So, I think that’s the nature of this championship, what you gain on one side you can lose on the other.

Question. Do you think you have improved operationally compared to last season?

Christian Horner: « Absolutely. There is no doubt. It has nothing to do with the strategy or the operational plan. I think the communication between the engineers and the cars and the drivers is good.»

Question. Do you think that F1 should reconsider its position on Jenson Button after his excellent start to the season, while many people thought Lewis Hamilton would dominate him?

Christian Horner: He’s leading two victories to zero in favor for the moment. I think he’s an underrated driver, and he managed to correctly interpret the extreme conditions once again today, and deliver a flawless race. For sure, he’s the reigning world champion, he’s a formidable opponent who’s now leading the championship.

Question. What are the plans to return to Europe as quickly as possible in order to develop your single-seaters?

Christian Horner: «Well, that’s a very good question. I believe we rely a lot on Bernie to ensure all the cars are in the same situation. As for the upcoming improvements, they are still underway but we will install them on the car anyway. As long as the car is in Barcelona, we should be fine. Fortunately, there is an extra week between this race and the first European race, so I hope things will settle very soon.»

Question. And your staff, it is said here that they couldn’t leave before the beginning of May?

Christian Horner: «The problem is the alarmism, which is always present. There’s an element of the unknown. In my life, I don’t recall a volcano causing this much distress. In the worst case, we would take the Trans-Siberian Express. Where there’s a will to return home, there’s a way.»

Question. In a sense, is it the fact that there is a certain difference in your faith?

Christian Horner: Certainly for the cars. I’m much less concerned about the people getting home because all the guys are very resourceful. I’m much more concerned about the goods. Obviously, Bernie is more than capable of handling this situation.»

If the Icelandic volcanoes are lenient and Red Bull finally seizes its chance by taking advantage of technical innovations, sooner or later, Vettel and Webber will make the leap that separates them from victory.