The 2023 season has put Formula 1 fans in a very peculiar predicament. With the likes of Aston Martin meteorically climbing the championship rungs, fans are looking forward to an exciting season. However, with the likes of Red Bull running away dominantly with race victory after another, this season may be one of the most one-sided championship fights in a while. But is Red Bull’s hot streak of form just an anomaly or a sign of things to come?

A lot has been made of Red Bull’s RB19. Some have dismissed the possibility of Mercedes-esque domination, whilst others have already written this season and the ones to come off. But within and beyond all the speculation, one must not forget the cost-cap penalty that the Bulls received last year for their minor overspending breach. At least that is what Christian Horner has to say about this whole thing.

Christian Horner warns Red Bull

For a team like Red Bull, from the outside at least, things are as rosy as they can be. Many believe that the cost-cap penalty was just a nominal slap on the wrist of the Milton-Keynes-based team. However, Horner believes the repercussions of this to be graver than first understood.

Motorsport-Total.com quoted Horner as explaining, “We have to remember that the other teams will bring upgrades.” Horner then went on to add, “As long as we have a competitive car, it’s important that we get the points as quickly as possible.”

This is as per their understanding that “Red Bull itself has ‘a significant disadvantage’ from the budget cap,” hence stifling their 2023 development potential.

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While Horner is adamant that the cost cap is going to be the end of Red Bull in 2023, his driver, Max Verstappen thinks otherwise.

Max Verstappen contradicts Horner

While the job of the team principal is to ensure that the drivers and the team get the best possible resources to do the job, 2x champion, Verstappen is only focused on winning. While the cost cap will no doubt act as a hindrance, the Dutch lion isn’t too fussed about it.

While talking about the impact of the penalty, RacingNews365.com quoted him as saying, “But I think we have a lot of very competent people in our factory, it makes things a little bit harder, but I also look at it like this: I prefer to be in the position that we are in, [rather] than always finishing second or third in the championship. That is way more depressing.”

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Will the cost-cap penalty really derail Red Bull’s title charge this year?