‘Especially for its position outside the cockpit’

• Joost Smedema

  editor Formula 1 in Las Vegas

Nervous, convincing, supreme. Christian Horner, team boss of Max Verstappen, wants to add the word “phenomenal” to the list of qualifications for the first three world titles. “Max was outstanding.”

Verstappen won his fourth title in Las Vegas after a challenging year in which he did not have the fastest car for three quarters of the season. “He had to go very deep, really to the extreme,” says Horner.

“Max not only made the difference with his performance on the track, but also with the way he positioned himself outside the cockpit of his car.”

Horner: “Behind the scenes, he has put so much energy into developing the car with the engineers, designers and in the simulator, more than in recent years.”

“There are a thousand people in our team, all departments have to work together to achieve results. Max provides inspiration and gives the most useful feedback. He sets the direction.”

“When the wind tunnel data didn’t match what the car was showing on track, his feedback allowed us to focus on the areas where we could make the most gains.”

According to Pierre Waché, head of the technical department of Red Bull Racing, “hard work” is the key to this fourth world title. He praises Verstappen for his ability to continue to see the big picture. Even if he didn’t like the car.

“He has started to think more strategically during a race. When Lewis Hamilton’s speed was higher today, he did not enter into a fight. He knows that that attitude yields the points with which you can become champion. He has done that more often than in the past .”

Horner: “He would prefer to win every race, but on the days when that is not possible, he achieves the maximum possible result. That is his experience.”

Only Juan Manuel Fangio (5), Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton (both 7) have won more world titles than Verstappen. “This year he has cemented himself even more firmly among the very best in the history of the sport.”

Will Verstappen ever achieve that number of seven titles? “He is good enough for it, but this sport is about people and machines. It is up to us to give him a car with which he can achieve that.”

“He is only 27. The way he constantly pushes himself to the limit makes me believe that there is still a lot of great things to come.”

Still, Waché is concerned. “We are happy with what we have been able to restore to the car this year, but I don’t feel very confident for 2025 yet. The competition is so fast, the fight will continue all year long.”

Horner is less pessimistic. “We don’t know what the competition is doing. It’s great for the sport that there is so much competition, although it has given me a few extra gray hairs. Next year will be a thriller.”

“But the best driver of them all drives our car and we will work on our weaknesses all winter.”

The 2024 season started on a noisy note for Red Bull Racing. Horner was accused and acquitted of misconduct, top designer Adrian Newey left the team, as did chief strategist Will Courtenay.

“It has been a challenging year,” Horner says euphemistically. “A few people have left, but the heart of the team has stayed together and continued to work incredibly hard. It makes this a very special victory.”