Horner happy with Mercedes' attention: 'They see us as a threat'

Mercedes looks at Red Bull

In recent years, Mercedes has been at the top of the Formula One pyramid without really getting any resistance. The other teams did everything they could to reduce Mercedes' lead but failed to do so to date. In 2021, Red Bull Racing has now managed to do just that, and that means the competition is now looking to Red Bull as well.

Indeed, while Mercedes said they hoped for competition in recent years, they have done a lot of work behind the scenes against Red Bull, according to Horner. ''They have put an incredible amount of energy into that, more than you think. It's a clear strategy. This just shows that they see us as a threat. And I think you're doing something right when people start pointing the finger at you,'' Horner said in conversation with Motorsport.com.

Red Bull takes a step forward

It makes the battle between Red Bull and Mercedes all the more exciting. Both teams are doing everything they can to beat the other, and now that they're so close, it's all about something. Horner is happy that his team can finally do battle again, and is therefore satisfied with the first half of the season.

''We have won six races this year, a phenomenal number. More than the last few years and I think the title fight is very exciting for everyone. It was seven long years where we played a supporting role. We won some races through tactical ability but we could never string a whole season together. Now we have the means to do that. We have a chassis that performs extremely well, we have an engine that delivers and we have a driver who is performing at the top of his game and has experience,'' concludes Max Verstappen's team boss.