Christian Horner has backed Ferrari to be Red Bull’s closest challengers at the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend, shunning Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes in the process.
Team principal Horner has been the major story of the F1 season after he was the subject of an internal investigation in February after accusations – which he denies – of ‘coercive behaviour’ towards a female colleague were made against him, before he was cleared.
This hasn’t impacted Red Bull’s progress on the track though, with the team – who have won the previous two constructors’ championships – dominating the early stages of the campaign.
Max Verstappen is chasing a fourth consecutive world championship and the Dutchman looks on course for that after winning three out of the opening four races in 2024, with team-mate Sergio Perez finishing second on those occasions.
Verstappen’s progress was only halted by an early retirement in Australia, where Ferrari pairing Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc came first and second respectively. In fact, Sainz is the only driver other than Verstappen to win a race across the past 22.
+5
View gallery
Christian Horner has backed Ferrari to be Red Bull’s closest challengers at the Chinese GP
+5
View gallery
Horner snubbed Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, who are enduring a difficult campaign so far
+5
View gallery
Verstappen has won three out of four races as he chases a fourth successive world title
TRENDING
Footy great who made history dies after six-year cancer battle
99.4k viewing now
Lonhro: Horse racing legend dies aged 25
90.9k viewing now
Horror blow for Souths as footy star, 21, is rushed to hospital
83.1k viewing now
And Horner, speaking ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, felt the Italian team are Red Bull’s biggest rivals going forwards.
‘Yeah, I think that Ferrari definitely at that circuit [Melbourne] were competitive, and we saw on Friday that their race pace was competitive,’ Horner told The Mirror.
‘And we expect them to probably be our closest competitor there [in China].
‘It’s a good circuit. The first corner goes on forever, and with the high-speed corners onto the back street as well, it’s always been very punishing on the front left tyre.
‘It’s got a sprint race as well, first sprint race of the year – so that’s another challenge. (There are) a lot of points available, so it’ll be interesting to see how that goes.’
Horner’s snub of Hamilton and Mercedes comes at a time when they are enduring a dismal campaign with the Brit ninth in the championship.
Neither the seven-time world champion nor team-mate George Russell have secured a podium finish this season, and Hamilton now hasn’t won a race since December 2021.
Hamilton has finished 7th, 7th, DNF and 9th this year and heads to China hoping for a drastic improvement in his fortunes after bemoaning his team in Japan.
+5
View gallery
Horner felt Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were Red Bull’s closest challengers
+5
View gallery
Horner is hoping to guide his team to a third successive constructors’ championship title
‘There were two really terrible [sets of] hard tyres to run through,’ Hamilton said after coming ninth in Suzuka.
‘It was a real challenge today. I think I picked up a bit of damage at the beginning when Charles (Leclerc) came around the outside.
‘I had huge understeer for the first stint and couldn’t turn the car. The hard tyre was pretty bad and the medium was much better.
‘In hindsight, we should have kept two medium tyres, but in general the car was pretty bad today.’
News
Taylor Swift Halts Her Edinburgh Show to Aid Distressed Fan – Refuses to Continue Until They’re Safe
Taylor Swift refused to continue performing in Edinburgh on Friday after noticing a fan in distress in the crowd. The billionaire songstress, 34, was in the middle of singing Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve to a crowd of over 70,000 in Murrayfield when she noticed…
QB Jackson Mahomes brings special present to brother Patrick, and the two men work past their issues
The Kansas City Chiefs star has helped launch a new “sports coffee” company. Patrick Mahomes has generally gotten along with his brother Jackson, but the younger sibling has put the star Kansas City Chiefs quarterback in tough positions in the past due to his…
At a basketball game, Brittany Mahomes and Travis Kelce exchange provocative denim outfits
While watching the Minnesota Timberwolves play the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA playoffs on Sunday, Brittany Mahomes, 28, appeared to put a bold new twist on a tried-and-true outfit. Sitting courtside with husband Patrick Mahomes at Dallas’ American Airlines Center,…
Odell Beckham Jr. looked elegant when meeting ex-girlfriend Kardashian at MetGala 2024
No flаɡ o𝚗 tҺе ρlаy Һеɾе — OԀеll BеcƙҺаm Jɾ.’s Mеt Gаlа looƙ wаs а totаl tɾιumρҺ. BеcƙҺаm Jɾ., 31, аɾɾιᴠеԀ ι𝚗 а suаᴠе blаcƙ suιt wιtҺ wҺιtе Ԁеtаιlι𝚗ɡ аt tҺе Mo𝚗Ԁаy, Mаy 6 еᴠе𝚗t аt Nеw Yoɾƙ’s Mеtɾoρolιtа𝚗 Musеum of…
Andy Reid Stands Firm with Harrison Butker: “If They Cut Harrison, They Cut Me”
The Chiefs have been dropping hints about releasing their kicker, but Head Coach Andy Reid has made it clear that won’t happen under his leadership. The team has been under pressure due to the ongoing controversy surrounding Harrison Butker’s refusal…
Patrick Mahomes with Rugby Star Siya Kolisi and Liverpool Manager Klopp at Adidas HQ
CҺιеfs quаɾtеɾbаcƙPаtɾιcƙ MаҺσmеsа𝚗ԀLιᴠеɾρσσlmа𝚗аɡеɾJuɾɡе𝚗 KlσρρcɾσssеԀ ρаtҺs σ𝚗 Mσ𝚗Ԁаy аs tҺеy bσtҺ ᴠιsιtеԀ AԀιԀаs’ ҺеаԀquаɾtеɾs ι𝚗 Gеɾmа𝚗y. TҺе ρаιɾ stσσԀ аlσ𝚗ɡsιԀеSσutҺ Afɾιcаɾuɡby cаρtаι𝚗 Sιyа Kσlιsι а𝚗Ԁ AԀιԀаs CEоBjσɾ𝚗 GulԀе𝚗 fσɾ а ρҺσtσ, wιtҺKσlιsι ҺσlԀι𝚗ɡ а sσccеɾ bаll а𝚗Ԁ sιɡ𝚗еԀ fσσtbаll. MаҺσmеs…
End of content
No more pages to load