Christian Horner attributes Red Bull’s dramatic turnaround at the F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to a crucial decision made on Friday evening. Initially, the team had a challenging start at Imola, with both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez struggling to find the right balance for their RB20 cars, finishing the day behind in both practice sessions.
However, by Saturday, Verstappen had secured pole position, narrowly beating both McLaren drivers. He then successfully fended off a strong challenge from Lando Norris to secure his fifth win in seven races this season. Speaking to the media after the race, Horner highlighted the significant contribution of former Toro Rosso driver Sebastien Buemi, who played a key role through his simulator work.
When asked about the key factor in Red Bull’s recovery, Horner emphasized Buemi’s impact. He explained that extensive work on the car’s setup between Friday and Saturday improved the balance significantly, putting them in a better position for the race. Horner noted that for the first 60 percent of the race, they maintained a lead of six to eight seconds over their competitors. It was only in the latter half of the stint on hard tyres that they began to lose some performance.
Horner further elaborated on the importance of the team’s collective effort, particularly the contributions from those working behind the scenes, including the factory and simulator drivers. He emphasized that responding effectively when things aren’t going well is a true test of a team’s strength. Despite a dismal outlook on Friday, the team managed to turn their performance around and clinch the victory.
Max Verstappen, after achieving his eighth consecutive pole, described the turnaround as one of the best he has ever experienced in Formula 1.
