Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull Racing spoke to reporters at the team’s media event in the desert dunes on Wednesday ahead of the Etihad Airways Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Briton discussed his team’s season, Max Verstappen’s rise to prominence and his hopes of a strong 2017 campaign.
Rating the 2016 campaign "I think it has been an amazing season. Our expectations at the beginning of the year were to get into the top five. So to emerge as the nearest challengers to Mercedes, be second in the constructors' championship and have won two grand prix was great. In Barcelona Max became the youngest ever winner in Formula One and Daniel achieved a 1-2 finish in Malaysia, plus I think there was 14 other podiums. It has been an incredible year for us and we are aiming to finish on a high here in Abu Dhabi and use that momentum into 2017."
On Verstappen's successful 2016 "It was clear he was a very special talent, which was why we identified him and promoted him as quickly as we did. But I don't think any of us could have imagined the impact he has made. I mean winning his first grand prix for Red Bull Racing, the drive he produced in Brazil two weeks ago which ranks up there with one of the best drives in Formula One history. He continues to exceed all of our expectations and even his own."
On Verstappen's drive to third place in the rain in Brazil "He was in a league of his own in those conditions. His bravery, his skill, his tenacity, his determination all shone through on a very dark, wet and miserable day in Brazil. It was great to see.
On the role Toro Rosso, the sister team of Red Bull, have had in their success "That is what Toro Rosso is there for. It is there to develop young drivers to be selected by the senior team. Sebastian Vettel was the first product of that, then of course Daniel Ricciardo, then Daniil Kvyat. Now Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr is doing a terrific job there. So, as a driver training ground it is working extremely well."
Also from Graham Caygill:
Q&A with Verstappen: Tackling UAE's sand dunes, relationship with Vettel and Brazil drive
On how Verstappen is dealing with the extra scrutiny he is under "I think he handles it very well. When anybody comes along who upsets the establishment a bit then of course they get a bit of heat put on them and I think that is exactly what Max has done. He has come along and rattled the establishment a bit. I think what I admire about him is he doesn't let it influence him in anyway or get him down. He gets on with his job. He loves racing. He loves what he does. He is fiercely competitive and he is doing a super job."
On why he thinks much more is to come from Verstappen "He is only in his third year of car racing in its entirety so of course he is learning. But he is learning in a very public arena. Most people learn in Formula Renault, GP3 or GP2. He is doing his very publicly in Formula One."
On their willingness to try alternative strategies this season "If we take on Mercedes doing the same thing inherently they have got the fastest car this year so it is unlikely you are going to beat them. So that is why we have not been afraid to mix things up and try a few different things."
On what the 2017 regulation alterations with wider tyres and more focus on aerodynamics mean to Red Bull "We see it as an opportunity. Of course there are no guarantees. Mercedes will firmly be favourites for next year, but we are hoping to close that gap down and hopefully over the course of next year take the challenge to them."
On Bernie Ecclestone's suggestion of having two shorter races on a grand prix weekend "I'm not a big fan of that. There is only one Wimbledon final or one grand slam final. Two races I don't think is the way to go. You just need to make the one race a good one."
gcaygill@thenational.ae
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