Allegations of an employee, leaked WhatsApp courses and an internal Red Bull power struggle-a year ago it looked as if Christian Horner’s career could crumble as the Formula 1 team boss. RTL expert Günther Steiner praises the British for his perseverance – but still sees some challenges for Horner.
“I think he will remember in 2024 as the rather shitty year of his life, with all the stuff that happened. So we have to count that,” said Günther Steiner at “Gpfans” and pointed out that Red Bull was involved Max Verstappen defended the World Championship in the previous season.
Steiner does not write on Horner’s lid that Red Bull crashed in third place behind McLaren and Ferrari in the constructor class. The team crown lost Red Bull “because they only had one car,” said the former Haas team boss.
“You fought a McLaren with two good drivers, I don’t say that Checo (Perez, D.Red.) Is not a good driver, but last year he was none. You have to say that. In the past he was a good one Driver, won races, but last year he underperformed, “said the South Tyrolean about the performance of the later shot Mexican.
Perez had only ranked eighth in the driver’s World Cup, 285 (!) Points behind world champions Verstappen in the same car. Basically, in 2024 Horner was “a bad year to keep the team together”.
Formula 1: Red Bull Auerlass remains a challenge for Horner
Whereupon Steiner alludes: With Design Guru Adrian Newey (to Aston Martin) and Jonathan Wheatley (Audi), two pillars of the success broke away, “they also lose strategy brain Will Courtenay,” said Steiner about the engineer, who is probably at the end of 2025 Mcllaren migrated.
“These are all very good people. As good as the second row of Red Bull is – these people were there for a long time. They know the team inside and by heart. Sometimes fresh blood is good, but you need something to replace Adrian , becomes difficult, “Steiner commented on the personnel situation of the bulls.
Ultimately, there will be “time what Christian (Horner) can make of it, but I think it won’t be easier for him”.