Is Red Bull writing off constructors' title already? 'A very tough ask'

Already saying that the team of Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson will not succeed at all in taking back the title lost to McLaren in '24? Horner doesn't. "You can never say that. I think the one thing that McLaren proved to everybody last year is that you can have a troubled start to the year but still be very competitive," Horner said in the paddock in Shanghai on Sunday.

He did add: "The Constructors' Championship is a very tough ask and we need to make significant progress with the car in order to even challenge for that. And you have to have two cars scoring, you know that obviously hurt us badly last year."

'Verstappen needs a fast second man'

Moreover, Horner opined that winning the drivers' title also requires two drivers, who as tactical help each other. "You've got to have another car in play. So, it's vitally important for the team to ensure that we have both drivers running as close to the front as we can," Horner said.

This article was written in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen.