Horner not frustrated by Verstappen: 'A demanding customer'
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Max Verstappen had many problems during the race weekend in Canada but still emerged victorious in the end. What does Christian Horner think about Verstappen being so critical, and how does he deal with his star driver when things don't go his way for a while?
Ahead of the race weekend in Canada, Red Bull Racing was already not the favourite. The RB20 struggles with bumpy tracks with high kerbs, and the Montreal circuit would, therefore, not be suitable for Red Bull's car. After Monaco, several talks were also held in Milton Keynes to turn the tide.
On Friday, however, things did not go to plan for Verstappen, who barely got into action in FP2 due to a problem with his engine. Verstappen was annoyed by the problems within the team that kept piling up and was not satisfied with the way things were going within the team even after his second place in qualifying.
Verstappen critical of Red Bull
Despite all the problems within the team, Red Bull Racing still managed to win in the end, and it was Verstappen who once again came out on top. After the race, Horner was therefore asked how he views the problems Verstappen talks about.
"I think this weekend was a tough weekend. Friday was a tough day. We didn't get a lot of mileage, particularly with Max. We had an ERS issue, so then we had to change the engine. So it was a big weekend in the garage. Sometimes, or certainly during the course of a championship, you're sometimes going to get into some choppy water, and I think we navigate that. We did that pretty well this weekend. And it's just about everybody remaining focused. And Max has done an outstanding job," Horner told GPblog and others.
Yet Horner was also asked if he senses more frustration from Verstappen. "No, he's a demanding customer, as is everybody in the team. So he's only voicing what the team feels. Everybody is aiming for excellence. That's what the team strives for," Horner concluded.