Christian Horner reveals how Max Verstappen played a key role in improving Red Bull’s performance. The Austrian racing stable faced a slump in form by the summer break in 2024, but the calmness of the Dutch champion inspired the entire team to bounce back.
Red Bull started the 2024 season with the strongest car on the grid, but was overtaken by competitors McLaren and Ferrari by the summer break. However, Verstappen managed to rise above his material and still clinched his fourth world title. Team boss Christian Horner praises the way Max Verstappen helped Red Bull improve its performance.
“It almost felt like something drastic changed,” recalls the Red Bull boss, speaking to the media. “Suddenly, three other teams became competitive and we faced problems that became very limiting. Then it was a matter of ‘and then your tools no longer match what’s happening on the track’. And then the driver really plays a key role.”
Leadership
Verstappen remained calm and composed during Red Bull’s worrying stagnation compared to its rivals. “Max never panicked,” Horner praises his driver. “Even on the difficult days, he rolled up his sleeves during the long hours with the engineers and went full throttle.” The now four-time world champion also inspired the other employees within Red Bull. “Max has been incredibly impressive this year. He inspired from the car the direction we needed to take to tackle some problems.
