There’s a celebration in Red Bull’s garage! After the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Max Verstappen can now call himself a four-time world champion. Team boss Christian Horner naturally sings Verstappen’s praises, who can now compare himself to veterans Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel. Horner reflects on one of the most fiercely contested championships he has ever experienced.
“It was a rollercoaster of a year, and Max (Verstappen) has truly been exceptional,” Christian Horner responded to Sky Sports. “We started with a flying start, had a difficult summer, but he kept performing.” Verstappen secured the title a few weeks ago thanks to a phenomenal victory in São Paulo. In Las Vegas, he only needed to finish ahead of Lando Norris. With eight wins this season – more than double any other driver – Verstappen has, according to Horner, once again proven that he belongs to the absolute top.
“He has driven his best and toughest championship this year,” said the Brit. “He showed maturity and performed even on the days when the car was really not good.” Horner emphasized that Max Verstappen thoroughly deserves the championship, but also wanted to acknowledge the rest of the Red Bull team. “This title was hard-fought, and all credit also goes to the men and women behind the scenes in Milton Keynes. They have put in endless hours, with late nights and early mornings, to make this possible.”
Verstappen versus Vettel
According to Horner, comparisons with Sebastian Vettel’s heyday are inevitable. The German became the first Red Bull champion in 2010, a feat he repeated for the next three years. Verstappen is now on par with the former Formula 1 driver in terms of titles. Only Alain Prost has won the drivers’ championship four times.
“When we did this with Seb (Vettel), I thought we would never repeat it,” Horner laughed. “Winning in 2021 was already huge. But now we are here, with Verstappen having become a four-time champion and joining a very select group of elite champions. He is simply one of the greatest drivers of all time. His dedication, approach, and self-confidence make him truly phenomenal.”
