Red Bull team principal Christian Horner explains how the Spanish Grand Prix could end so dramatically for both Max Verstappen and Red Bull itself. The Dutchman was on track for a third place, and thus to score valuable points for the Austrian racing team. Not only did the team put Verstappen on the inferior hard tyres for the final phase of the race, they also gave him the wrong instruction to give back a position to George Russell. ‘We are now only taking one point home, while a podium finish could easily have been within reach,’ the team boss sighs.
The race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya seemed to be heading for an easy third place for Max Verstappen, until a safety car put a stop to that. Due to the crash of Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the entire Formula 1 field was shuffled again, and Verstappen felt the hot breath of both Charles Leclerc and George Russell on his neck. To make matters worse, the Red Bull driver was also on the inferior hard tyre, while his rivals started the restart on the soft tyre.
How could Verstappen be on the wrong tyre at such a crucial moment? Team boss Christian Horner explains it. “Unfortunately, the only tyres we had left at that time were a new set of hard tyres,” the Brit explains. “Max then had a moment after the restart, Charles was able to get alongside him, and then George also tried to take advantage of that in the first corner. It was all really marginal,” Horner refers to the now much-discussed incident between Verstappen and Russell.
Confusion within Red Bull
Red Bull asked Verstappen to give back his position to Russell after the Dutchman went off the track during the Brit’s first overtaking attempt. After the race, it turned out that the Dutchman could have kept his position. Horner explains why Red Bull thought otherwise. “It then goes to the FIA, the stewards, and you hear nothing. And it just seemed like a penalty was coming, so we gave him the instruction to give back the position. He was, rightly, not happy with that. After the conversation with his engineer (Lambiase), he chose to give George the spot and then they collided.”
The incident with Russell resulted not only in a tenth place for Verstappen, but also added three penalty points to the driver’s racing license. “It’s very frustrating, because we’re only taking one point now, whereas there could easily have been a podium finish.” The outcome of the race was particularly disappointing for Horner, as the Grand Prix was going better than expected. “The McLarens should have been twenty seconds ahead, but our strategy brought us closer than expected. Unfortunately, the safety car then came on the track. But if we hadn’t made Max pit, the McLarens and Charles Leclerc would have overtaken him.”
