Horner on duel: "Two great drivers who showed respect for each other"

Christian Horner can be more than satisfied with the outcome of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Sergio Perez saw first place slip through his fingers after his pit stop turned out to be badly timed, but Max Verstappen was ready to take over from his teammate. What followed was an intense but respectful battle for the win between Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.

Just like in Bahrain, an intense battle played out between Verstappen and Leclerc. "It was an amazing motor race between two great drivers who showed respect for each other," a proud Horner told Viaplay after the race.

The Red Bull team boss saw two cars that were hugely matched and fast on different parts of the circuit. "Max drove a really calculated race, he looked after his tyres and made sure he had enough speed left at the end," Horner continued.

Red Bull Racing chose to drive with less downforce than Ferrari, which made the RB18 lightning fast on the straight. As a result, the team did have to give in in the first sector.

Horner explains that the team was concerned about the right front tyre and reacted by removing some energy to save the tyres. That turned out to be a crucial decision for Verstappen, whose tyres looked to be in better shape than Leclerc's in the final stages.