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Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner revealed team owner Dietrich Mateschitz’s satisfaction at Max Verstappen’s championship outcome. Horner also revealed the Austrian owner’s views regarding the controversies surrounding the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in an exclusive to RacingNews365.
Describing Mateschitz's feelings about the championship, the Briton said:
“He felt Max was very deserving. He was very proud of what he’d done and what the team had achieved.”
According to Horner, the Austrian was proud of Verstappen and the team’s achievements in 2021. Mateschitz was also not concerned about the controversies surrounding the season finale and the dent in the image of the championship.
On being asked if the Austrian team owner was concerned about the tainted image of the championship, Horner said:
“No. I think there’s been so much controversy throughout the year, [and] I think there’s been so much bad luck that we’ve had during the season that these things tend to balance themselves out.”
Following the controversy surrounding the season finale, speculation and debate over the events that unfolded in the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP have tainted Verstappen’s maiden title. Although the Dutchman had the statistics to deserve it on his merit, Lewis Hamilton’s silence post-Abu Dhabi and on his future in the sport has fuelled more ground for conspiracy theorists.
Red Bull successfully poached Mercedes’ engine head
In a joint statement by both teams, it was announced that former Mercedes engine division head Ben Hodgkinson will be joining Red Bull Powertrains from May 2022 to work on the Milton Keynes-based team’s independent engine.
Hodgkinson spearheaded the Silver Arrows' engine division as the Head of Mechanical Engineering and carries 20 years of experience which includes Mercedes’ dominance in the V6 hybrid era in F1. His move to Milton Keynes is expected to significantly add to the team's efforts to produce its own power unit after the departure of its long-time engine partner, Honda.
The Japanese engine manufacturer withdrew from the sport for the fourth time in its history, after seven years as engine supplier to multiple teams. Honda intends to transition to a 'greener' base for an eco-friendly future, going all-electric by 2025.
