Red Bull team boss Christian Horner observed not only how Max Verstappen quickly left the two McLaren drivers behind in Italy, but also how Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris fiercely battled for second place. The Brit commends the two for narrowly avoiding each other in the Tamburello chicane, but warns McLaren of future collisions. ‘At some point, self-interest always outweighs team interest,’ says Horner.
Max Verstappen snatched victory in Imola from not one but two McLaren drivers. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are currently the only two drivers standing in the Dutchman’s way in his quest for a fifth world title. The two McLaren drivers currently hold first and second place in the championship, but according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, this does not only bring advantages for the British team.
“They have two drivers fighting for a world championship. At some point, self-interest always outweighs team interest,” the team boss warns his competitor in advance. “That’s the conflict.” In Imola, the internal title fight between the McLaren drivers was also briefly visible on the track, when Piastri and Norris battled for second place.
The British driver overtook his teammate in the Tamburello corner during lap 58, but the two came very close to each other during this overtaking maneuver. “They did a good job of avoiding contact,” Horner praises the drivers. “It was commendable that they were allowed to race, but you could see that they came quite close to each other.”
Strong Position for Red Bull
Horner’s star driver, Max Verstappen, had already disappeared over the horizon. The team boss found Red Bull’s performance in Imola encouraging, especially Verstappen’s combination of competitive lap times and good tire management.
“I think we had the speed to counter everything the others threw at us,” Horner continues. “The first stint was really encouraging because we could see that Max could manage the tires better than the guys behind him. So he drove very smartly and still pulled a gap. And that’s what you want, because that way the tires last longer. It’s the first time in a long time that we’re in this strong position.”
