Horner: Red Bull's F1 struggles down to car, not drivers
Christian Horner has dismissed suggestions that Red Bull's driver line-up is to blame for the team's ongoing crisis, instead pointing to car handling and power issues.
Christian Horner has rejected claims that Red Bull's current Formula One crisis is the fault of its drivers, insisting the team's problems stem from car handling and a lack of power rather than the performance of Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat.
The comments come after Red Bull endured another difficult weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix, with both cars struggling against rivals and team advisor Helmut Marko warning Ricciardo and Kvyat to “look out” in the aftermath. Marko’s remarks followed a standout performance by Toro Rosso rookies Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz, who both finished ahead of the senior team’s drivers in Barcelona. This prompted speculation that Red Bull is missing the influence of former champion Sebastian Vettel, now at Ferrari.
Horner, speaking to Kleine Zeitung, dismissed the idea that Vettel’s presence would have changed the outcome. “Sebastian could not have done much with the car we have at the moment either,” he said, emphasising that Ricciardo had already proved his ability the previous season. “The drivers are not our problem. Our real problems are car handling and power.”
Red Bull's technical frustrations
Red Bull’s struggles have been linked to their Renault power unit, which has lagged behind Mercedes and Ferrari on both reliability and outright performance. The team’s car has also been criticised for its handling, with drivers unable to extract the pace needed to challenge the front runners. These technical issues have left Red Bull unable to replicate the success it enjoyed during Vettel’s championship years.
The contrast with Toro Rosso’s performance in Spain highlighted the depth of Red Bull’s problems. Verstappen and Sainz, both in their first full F1 season, made the most of their machinery to finish ahead of their more experienced stablemates. Marko’s suggestion that the senior team’s drivers should “look out” added pressure to Ricciardo and Kvyat, but Horner’s public stance has been to shield them from blame.
Focus shifts to F1 regulations and engine rules
Horner also pointed to the current Formula One regulations as a factor in Red Bull’s difficulties. The team has been vocal about the limitations imposed by the power unit rules, which restrict each driver to four engines per season. A proposal to increase this allocation to five was set to be discussed at a Strategy Group meeting at Biggin Hill, with Horner refusing to comment on the details but hinting at frustration with how some rivals, particularly Mercedes, have openly discussed such matters in the media.
Mercedes’ Toto Wolff has advocated for changes aimed at reducing costs and making races more competitive, but there is little sign that the current rules will offer Red Bull much immediate relief. For now, the team’s management remains adamant that their driver pairing is not the cause of their slump, and attention is firmly on technical improvements and regulatory changes.
