Red Bull's Christian Horner shares his journey from being a race driver to team principal

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner shared his journey from being a racing driver himself to team principal. The Briton joined the Anglo-Austrian team in 2005 and has been a staple figure for them ever since.

After realizing that he wasn't particularly fast early on in his career, Horner chose to step out of the driver's seat and go into team management instead. The Briton started his own F3000 team, Arden International, and soon became known for his excellent management skills.

The Briton then joined the Austrian team in 2005, under Helmut Marko's guidance and has since helped the team secure five constructors' titles and six drivers' titles in the sport, most recently with Max Verstappen. He was also the youngest team principal in the sport at the time, at just 31 years of age.

Speaking about his trajectory, Horner told the Talking Bull podcast:

"I tried to put a deal together to buy what was the Jordan team and at the same time I was running a Red Bull junior driver, Vitantonio Liuzzi, that Helmut Marko had placed with me... who was looking for a junior program. In the meantime, Red Bull looked to buy what was the Jaguar team and they acquired it in November 2004 and later that month Helmut rang me up saying that 'Dietrich would like to see you'."

"He gave me a chance, just like he gave young drivers a chance. He gave me a chance as a young team principal."

Helmut Marko discusses Max Verstappen's Red Bull contract

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko commended the team's decision to secure Max Verstappen's services until 2028, calling it one of their best moves. Verstappen showcased his exceptional skills by expertly maneuvering his RB19 through the chaos to clinch his first victory in Melbourne earlier this month.

The Austrian team's unwavering trust in Verstappen was evident through their offer of the longest contract in F1 history. As a two-time world champion, the 25-year-old will remain affiliated with the team for the next five years, a move that Marko believes will be highly advantageous for the team.

Verstappen is currently at the peak of his powers, dominating the 2023 grid. Marko said of Max Verstappen:

"Max controlled the race sovereignly, made no mistakes. But we're used to that from him by now. If he's in the lead, you know he's going to be okay. Max is definitely the best driver right now."

"That we have signed such a long contract with him has been one of the best decisions. That stability is very important for the team and Max now also has certainty."

Verstappen is currently in the ideal possible position to secure a third consecutive title in the sport. It will be interesting to see if anyone can stop the flying Dutchman.