Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has refuted the notion that his team missed a golden opportunity to outpace McLaren during the recent Australian Grand Prix. This claim arose from the decision to delay Max Verstappen’s pit stop by one lap towards the end of the race, a move some speculated could have propelled Red Bull to an unexpected victory.
Verstappen, the Dutch racing dynamo, had an impressive start, overtaking McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in the inaugural lap at Albert Park. However, a misstep on Lap 17 at Turn 11 saw him yield second place to the Australian racer.
As the track conditions shifted from damp to dry, Verstappen struggled significantly, falling far behind the McLaren drivers who managed to maintain their Intermediate tyres effectively. When Fernando Alonso’s crash instigated a Lap 34 Safety Car period, Verstappen switched to medium tyres, diverging from the McLaren duo who opted for Hard Tyres.
The race took an unexpected turn at the conclusion of Lap 44 when a sudden downpour caused both McLarens to run wide. Piastri ended up stranded in the grass as eventual victor Lando Norris made a quick pit stop to switch to Intermediates. Verstappen, on the other hand, completed two more laps before making his tyre change, relinquishing his track position in the process.
When questioned about the potential missed opportunity, Horner was unequivocal. “No, we examined the data,” he stated to selected media, including Motorsport Week. “He would have still been just behind. We were hoping that if the weather… then that would have given us that position.”
While McLaren had the upper hand in Australia, Red Bull saw the late rain shower as a potential game-changer. If the rain had been fleeting, their decision to stay out longer on the slick tyre might have turned the tables in their favour.
Horner elaborated, “The first two sectors were quicker. The third sector was so much down at that point. We knew that the rain wasn’t going to hang around for long. If you could just bank that track position, it’s so valuable here because you just can’t overtake. So that’s what we were gambling a bit for.”
He continued, “McLaren were super cautious. Both of their drivers had significant moments. It looked like it might just play out, but if the rain had veered off, we could have been fortunate. But congratulations to Lando. He drove a good race today, and in challenging conditions for all the drivers.”
Despite the outcome, Horner remained optimistic, remarking, “But we take a lot of encouragement out of that race, and the pace we had at the end,” acknowledging Verstappen’s relentless pursuit of Norris during the final stages. He added, “The other teams, it was clear what the pecking order was today in terms of pace.”
