Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says it is “remarkable” that Lando Norris has only won two races during the 2024 Formula 1 season in McLaren’s “benchmark” car.
Norris produced a stunning display of pace to beat Max Verstappen by 22 seconds in Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix, reducing the Red Bull driver’s Drivers’ Championship lead to 70 points in the process.
With Norris’ performance with McLaren’s latest upgrades having sparked talk of a title battle over the remaining nine races, Horner said his squad were fortunate the British driver had let slip earlier opportunities to make ground on Verstappen.
“We’re lucky that they underperformed in the early part of the year so we’ve got a 70-point buffer, but that can diminish pretty quickly,” Horner said on Sunday in Zandvoort.
“It’s remarkable that that’s only Lando’s second win in that car. But he’s driving well, he’s finding confidence, and the pressure is on us to respond.”
“We’re used to being in championship fights over the years and we’ll dig deep and we’re going to fight with everything we’ve got over the remaining nine races.”
Red Bull appeared to be set to continue their domination of the last two seasons when Verstappen won four of the first five races, but since Norris claimed his maiden F1 victory at May’s Miami Grand Prix, the sport’s landscape has shifted dramatically.
Verstappen, who is chasing a fourth successive drivers’ title, has won just three of the last 10 grands prix and is now on a five-race winless run ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, his longest since 2020.
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Horner admitted that based on Norris’ performance in Zandvoort, where he also cruised to pole by more than three tenths of a second, it would be “very difficult” for Verstappen to keep his championship lead.
“Based on today’s performance, if it was like that at the next nine races, yes it would be very difficult,” Horner said.
“It’s only the fourth time this year that Max’s points lead has been reduced. It’s only Lando’s second win but we know we have to find performance.
“We were 78 points, now we’re 70 ahead. We want to make sure that we extend the lead, not see it continually diminish.”
Horner: Rivals’ front wings ‘very different’
The Dutch Grand Prix result, which also saw McLaren’s Oscar Piastri outperform Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez as they finished fourth and sixth respectively, meant that Red Bull’s lead at the top of the Constructors’ Championship was reduced to 30 points.
Perez has improved on the dismal run he went on by taking three successive points finishes but the consistency of McLaren’s pairing has led many to install the Woking squad as favourites for the team title.
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Asked if Red Bull were now underdogs in that contest, Horner said: “The McLaren has been the benchmark car over the last few races and we’re very acutely aware that we need to respond to that.
“Everybody in Milton Keynes is working incredibly hard to address that. Definitely they have the fastest car at the moment and we have to respond to that.”
Horner was quizzed on how Red Bull’s rivals have pulled off such a remarkable turnaround, with Mercedes also having sprung into contention with three wins in the four races before the summer break.
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He suggested it was gains from rivals as opposed to a drop-off from his team, and twice mentioned the front wings of McLaren and Mercedes.
“I think that it’s more where have the others found performance,” Horner said.
“I think the front wing is a key area, where others have found some performance.
“I think that the way that front wings are being used are quite different. If you look at the front wing angle of McLaren and Mercedes, they’re very, very different to the rest of the grid.”
Sky Sports F1’s live Italian GP schedule
Thursday August 29
2pm: Drivers’ Press Conference
Friday August 30
8.30am: F3 Practice
9.55am: F2 Practice
12pm: Italian GP Practice One (session starts 12.30am)
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
2.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3.45pm: Italian GP Practice Two (session starts 4pm)
5.15pm: The F1 Show
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Saturday August 31
8.25am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Italian GP Practice Three (session starts 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.15pm: Italian GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: ITALIAN GP QUALIFYING*
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday September 1
7:30am: F3 Feature Race
9am: F2 Feature Race
11am: Porsche Supercup
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Italian GP build-up
2pm: The ITALIAN GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Italian GP reaction
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
The 2024 Formula 1 season continues with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime
Source : Sky Sports
