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Red Bull boss Christian Horner is looking forward to the battle with Ferrari after an 'outstanding' start to the 2022 F1 season.
With two races in, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen have already proven the new regulations' effectiveness in F1. After their thrilling yet unfinished battle in Bahrain, the pair once again swapped overtakes while following each other closely during the 2022 Saudi Arabian GP.
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Horner compared the difference in racing to seasons past during an interview, where he said:
“The really encouraging thing about these regulations is that in the first two races we have seen Charles [Leclerc] and Max [Verstappen] pass each other about 10 times, which we haven’t seen in previous seasons. It has been great racing between the two teams. Ferrari is very quick and we are expecting the competition to continue over the next few races. Of a sample of two, you would have to say it is a big tick in the box for the ability to follow closely and race wheel to wheel. It has been outstanding.”
"They are struggling" - Red Bull boss Christian Horner on Mercedes' slow start to 2022
While the on-track tussle with Ferrari has been enticing, Red Bull has no time to focus on Mercedes, who have been slower than usual in 2022.
Speaking to the media during the 2022 F1 Saudi Arabian GP race weekend, Horner said:
“They are struggling. I have no feelings about their competitiveness. Obviously, I am focused on our competitiveness in what is a very intense fight with Ferrari at the moment. I have no doubt that at some point, Mercedes will join that battle but my focus is very much on our team.”
The 48-year-old and his Red Bull team are adopting a race-by-race approach for the season. He went on to add, saying:
“It is still early in the season. Luck tends to even itself out over the course of the year, so I think we have just got to go race by race. We are off the mark now, we are on the scoreboard, we have won our first race of the year, both drivers have been again, very competitive and we have just got to build some momentum.”
F1 will return to action next at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne for the Australian GP. The track has been revamped ahead of the Grand Prix on April 10.
