Christian Horner Addresses Red Bull 'Crisis' Rumors As Pressure Mounts

Christian Horner hits back at rumors of a Red Bull 'crisis' by confirming the team's focus on improving car balance and performance.

Christian Horner, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, speaks at the Red Bull Fan Zone, a private event at Oracle headquarters, on Wednesday October 18, 2023. / Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has addressed the recent rumors of a "crisis" within the team as they have begun to encounter performance issues.

Whilst speaking to the media following the recent Zandvoort race, where Red Bull was significantly outperformed by McLaren, Horner provided insights into the challenges the team is facing and the strategies they are employing to remain at the top of the constructors' and drivers' championships.

Red Bull Racing, while still leading both the Constructors' Championship and with Max Verstappen at the forefront of the Drivers' Championship, has failed to secure a Grand Prix victory in their last five races. This contrasts sharply with their initial domination of the season, where they won seven out of the first ten races. With other teams closing in, the pressure has amplified, prompting concerns and rumors of a potential crisis within the team.

Addressing these rumors, Horner stated, as quoted by GP Blog:

"I think crisis is a very strong word, but I think we have to understand where we can improve the car, understand what the issues are. Obviously, Max has a very strong view on the car, and we're just matching that up with obviously the data, and then obviously addressing where we can improve.

"So, I think we're getting a better understanding of what's going on, but yes, it was an interesting first session."

One of the critical elements identified by Horner is the car's balance. He continued:

"I would say that, of course, there's pressure from our competitors, so we have to respond to that. We're very aware of that, and I think the biggest issue is dealing with the balance that we have in the car.

"If we address that, the the competitiveness will come so it’s on top of the characteristic. And once you address that, the tyre degradation is better, everything will look better. I think we're working very hard to get on top of the characteristic that we have, and hopefully making some progress."

2024 F1 Constructors' Championship: Current Standings

1. Red Bull- 434 points
2. McLaren - 404 points
3. Ferrari - 370 points
4. Mercedes - 276 points
5. Aston Martin - 74 points
6. RB - 34 points
7. Haas - 27 points
8. Alpine - 13 points
9. Williams - 4 points
10. Sauber - 0 points

2024 F1 Drivers' Championship: Current Standings

1. Max Verstappen - 295 points
2. Lando Norris - 225 points
3. Charles Leclerc - 192 points
4. Oscar Piastri - 179 points
5. Carlos Sainz - 172 points
6. Lewis Hamilton - 154 points
7. Sergio Perez - 139 points
8. George Russell - 122 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 50 points
10. Lance Stroll - 24 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points
14. Pierre Gasly - 8 points
15. Oliver Bearman - 6 points
16. Kevin Magnussen - 5 points
17. Esteban Ocon - 5 points
18. Alex Albon - 4 points
19. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
21. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points