F1 News
Horner fears for Verstappen's chances: 'Very difficult to defend'
- GPblog.com
Max Verstappen seemed set to have a good weekend ahead of him. As Lewis Hamilton was disqualified just before the sprint race of the Brazilian Grand Prix and had to start from the back of the grid, the Dutchman started from first position. However, Bottas passed Verstappen at the start and Hamilton drove his way into fifth place, causing concern for Christian Horner.
During the sprint race, the Red Bull Racing team boss noted that Mercedes have the speed to make things difficult for the Austrian team. Indeed, Horner fears Verstappen will miss out on his victory if nothing changes.
"With the speed Lewis showed on Saturday, he can win the race on Sunday," he told Sky Sports in an interview. "We're going to find it very difficult to defend against him when he has that kind of speed. We have to work hard, do the best job we can and then we'll see."
Horner believes Hamilton penalty justified
In addition, Horner addressed the penalty imposed on Hamilton by the stewards. "It's up to the FIA to make sure the rules are adhered to. The rules leave almost no room for interpretation anymore, so it's something we're going to keep an eye on. Because look at Lewis during the sprint race: it looked like he was driving in a different class."