Ambitious Christian Horner Sacrifices the Ultimate Dream Over Red Bull Hunger

Ever since its incorporation into Formula 1 in 2005, Red Bull has won 11 world championship titles—drivers’ and constructors’ combined. They have also seen many low points, going through long, dry spells. During all such highs and lows, one man who has been constant in the team is Christian Horner. The 2022 season was undoubtedly the Milton-Keynes-based team’s best year so far in the championship. Despite that, the team boss remains hungry for more, remaining uninterested in the F1 top job.

Red Bull’s 2022 was arguably the most dominant season F1 has ever witnessed. Amassing 17 wins from 22 fixtures, the Austrian team never left anything to chance. Max Verstappen won 15 of those 17 races, putting up a display that looked so effortless, that he drew comparisons with the greats of the sport.

While Bernie Ecclestone was still at F1’s helm, Christian Horner was touted to replace him for the top job. However, Horner is still passionate about his current job. Speaking with GP Fans, he said, “I still have that competitive fire burning within me.”

“At the moment, I still enjoy the competition too much to let that go and I am still the youngest CEO and team principal in the sport so I have got a few years left to use,” he added. “I have got no plans to hang up my pass just yet.”

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The biggest challenge for Horner, and team Red Bull is overcoming the cost cap sanctions. The wind tunnel penalty can pose a big threat to their 2023 car development.

Christian Horner urges his team to pull up their socks

The FIA found Red Bull guilty of breaching the 2021 season’s budget cap. Resultantly, they handed them a $7 million fine and sanctioned them with a 10% reduction in wind tunnel time. Horner found the sanctions “draconian” but accepted the terms “begrudgingly.”

Knowing how big of a challenge the latter sanction could prove to be, he delivered a stern message to his team. “You are learning every race,” Horner said while speaking with GP Fans. “You learn in this business never to expect a quiet life, especially when you are running at the front.

“Never be complacent about winning and enjoy every result, enjoy every victory and enjoy every moment because it is so well earned and it means so much that they should never be underestimated.”

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Will Red Bull lose their crown because of budget cap punishment? Or will the carried momentum help them ride the wave?