Team boss Christian Horner sees no danger of Red Bull becoming complacent because of their successes and slipping as a result
Team boss Christian Horner has dismissed suggestions that Red Bull could become complacent given their unprecedented winning streak in Formula One. Verstappen won his tenth race at Spa before the summer break, extending Red Bull’s winning streak to all 12 races in 2023 – a new record.
Red Bull have now won the last 13 Grands Prix, a record that would have risen to 23 had the team not lost to George Russell and Mercedes at last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
However, despite the team’s unprecedented dominance with the all-conquering RB19, team boss Horner dismissed any fears that complacency was setting in at the Milton Keynes team.
“I don’t think so. I think we take it one race at a time, one session at a time,” Horner said. “And I think that’s what you have to focus on.” He stresses, “Nobody gets distracted and it’s a long, long championship.”
He also says there is a lot going on at the new engine department, Red Bull Powertrains, partly because they are already looking with fervour towards the new regulations from 2026: “So there is a lot for people to focus on,” says Horner.
Also a crucial factor: Red Bull has received “numerous requests” from rival teams to poach its best staff. Rob Marshall is one of the key figures moving to McLaren, although the team has also poached a number of engineers to set up its new engine department.
Horner believes the challenge of staying at the top gets harder the bigger the target you have on your back. But he believes Red Bull are well equipped to stop a potential crash thanks to their “strength in depth”.
“The challenges are always different because when you are the hunter, everyone is focused on the target in front of you,” he explains. “When you suddenly become the hunted, the pressure is completely different.”
“Of course we have a lot of requests from all these people who are after our staff, sponsors and so on,” he says.
“Getting there is one thing, staying there is another. But I think the spirit, the culture we have in the team is very strong. We have great strength in depth and great continuity over a long period of time, which is very important in this business. “
