F1 News
Horner reflects on heightened stress levels: 'I've got more gray hairs!'
Christian Horner has admitted that the 2024 season was one of the most stressful of his career. Although Max Verstappen sowed up the driver's world title in Las Vegas, it hasn't exactly been a simple year for the Red Bull team boss, as he explained after the race in Sin City.
Red Bull Racing started the 2024 season on the front foot, with Max Verstappen winning seven of the first 10 races. After Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix in June, the Dutchman had a winning drought up until the Brazilian Grand Prix in November. Formula 1 has become extremely competitive this season, with six other drivers winning multiple races across the course of the year. Disappointingly for Red Bull, Sergio Perez isn't one of them. The Mexican is the only driver from the top four teams not to win. He sits eighth in the driver's standings with 152 points.
Despite the stress, Horner still loves 'going racing'
Speaking to media, including GPblog, Horner said: "Well, I think, as I say, the amount of grey hairs that I now have compared to previous years has probably demonstrated the stress levels of the year, but look, you know we're a race team we focus on going racing, that's what we love," Horner began. Before celebrating Max Verstappen's fourth world title in Qatar, the team boss revealed to the media that perseverance was key in the Red Bull garage. Verstappen managed to stay strong, and his consistency has been rewarded with a fourth consecutive title. "It's a sport that attracts a lot of attention and media interest, but the reality is we're a team of racers, and Max is a racer, and that's what he loves doing, and that's what he's fantastic at, so as soon as you cross that red line into the garage that's what we are." The Brit concluded.
Horner's stress would've been relieved by Verstappen's driver's title victory, but there's still a lot to play for. The Milton Keynes-based team sits third in the constructor's standings with 555 points, 29 points behind second-placed Ferrari. McLaren, who leads on 608 points, may now be slightly out of reach for Red Bull, who have battled with the inconsistent RB20 this season.
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