Horner points out challenge for Tsunoda: "Max is an exceptional talent

Christian Horner has spoken out about the unique situation within his team, where Max Verstappen has been setting the tone for years.

The Red Bull Racing team principal emphasises that Verstappen is an exceptional talent, pointing out that this is also a challenge for his teammate on the other side of the garage.

It comes as Yuki Tsunoda makes his Red Bull debut at the Japanese Grand Prix, replacing the demoted Liam Lawson after he lastest just two Grands Prix in 2025.

“Max is an exceptional talent” 

Since Daniel Ricciardo left the team, Verstappen has not had a teammate who could match him, let alone beat him. What is the problem with the second Red Bull?

“First of all, Max is a generational talent. So, being his teammate is arguably the toughest job in Formula One. And Sergio Perez, for four years, for three of those years, did a pretty decent job. He was second in the Drivers' Championship in '23, third in '22, and managed to win some very decent races,” says Horner in conversation with Sky Sports.

“The development direction that we push to extract performance from the car, we're always looking to create the fastest car, whether that was in 2021 or '22, '23, and, of course, last year was a lot tougher. But Max is very clear what he wants from the car, and, of course, we tailor the package to that,” he adds.

Does Verstappen's talent cause problems for Red Bull?

Asked whether Verstappen's talent – and his ability to mask problems with it - actually causes problems on the other side of the garage. Horner said: “The two things have to come together, and, of course, you have to work hard at it, and as a team, we know we've got performance to fight, but it's only as a team, we know we've got performance to find. But it's only as a team collectively that you find that performance.

"Max is also working extremely hard behind the scenes, putting in the hours on the simulator and with the engineers, and there is a lot of work is going into trying to make sure that we can really take the fight to the McLarens this season.”

Read also

Tsunoda shines bright after practice session: 'Positive start for Yuki'

Tsunoda is not like the other Red Bull drivers, 'I can do something different'

Verstappen has had a new teammate since the start of the Grand Prix weekend in Japan. Yuki Tsunoda replaces Liam Lawson after his first two races for the Austrian F1 team. But does the driving style of the Japanese suit Verstappen's, and what does that mean for the development of the RB21? "I think we just need to give a different setup to the second car", Horner responds.

“Max has a unique way of extracting lap time from the car – we haven't seen another driver do it in the same way. So we always try to give the second driver a car that feels more predictable and familiar. It may not be the fastest setup, but it's one where another driver feels more comfortable.”

This artice was written in collaboration with Nicole Mulder