"It's been a lot of blood, sweat and tears" - Red Bull boss praises team for Max Verstappen's championship win

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has credited the entire team for their hard work following Max Verstappen's second title win.

Max Verstappen won the race in Suzuka last weekend to seal his second world title. Horner was understandably elated with that as he paid tribute to his team for making that possible.

Red Bull had their focus on winning the 2021 title with Verstappen, so they were on the back foot when the new season started. Nevertheless, they put in the hard yards and dished out a competitive car to script a dominant triumph. Horner said:

"I think for the team to do what we did last year, and to turn up with a car as competitive as we have, being the last team to transition onto it, under massive pressure this year with the cost cap and everything else, it's been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears go into it."

He continued:

"I think the car, the way we adapted to the new regulations, the engineering team, it's been a phenomenal performance by everybody involved, and Max has, I think, grown from that first world championship."

Horner also hailed Verstappen for the maturity he showed this season, saying:

"The way he's driven, the way he's operated this year, has just been at another level, and all respect to him because he truly deserves this championship. Everybody within the factory, within Red Bull, all of our partners, all of our technical partners have just stepped it up another gear this year, and it's been phenomenal."

The Red Bull boss also talked about the team members that were influential in the win. He said:

"Adrian and the whole technical team. Pierre Wache, our technical director, Enrico Balbo (head of aerodynamics), Craig Skinner (chief designer), Ben Waterhouse (head of performance engineering), I think this is the strongest technical team we've ever had. And I think that's testimony to the hard work that goes in behind the scenes that has delivered this kind of performance."

Red Bull (619) are on the cusp of completing the driver-constructor championship double, leading Ferrari (454) by over 150 points.

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Red Bull extend partnership with Honda for three years

The Red Bull boss also talked about how Verstappen winning the race on a weekend when Honda and the team extended their association is significant for both parties. He said:

"To win here, with Honda confirming their participation over the next three years, and Asaki-san, who has been one of those heroes behind the scenes within the Honda organisation and within HRC, I felt it only right for him to collect the constructors' trophy today. A very proud moment for everybody in HRC."

The Milton-Keynes based team is on its way to reclaiming the constructors' title it last won in 2013. They have been not only consistent but dominant as well in the second half of the season and will hope to take the momentum into the second year of the new regulations.