Horner admits feeling pressure after McLaren's triumph at Dutch Grand Prix

Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner acknowledged the mounting pressure on his squad following an impressive performance by McLaren's Lando Norris at the Dutch Grand Prix. Norris clinched victory at Zandvoort, finishing 22 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, significantly closing the gap in the drivers' championship.

Norris's dominant performance reduced Verstappen's championship lead to 70 points, while McLaren managed to cut their deficit in the constructors' standings to just 30 points. This victory marked Norris's second win of the season and McLaren's third, underscoring their resurgence after a slow start.

"We're lucky that they underperformed at the start of the year, so we've got a 70-point buffer but that can diminish pretty quickly," Horner remarked. "It's remarkable that that's only Lando's second win in that car."

Reflecting on Norris's driving, Horner added, "He's driving well, he's finding confidence. The pressure is on us to respond."

Despite early-season struggles, McLaren's fortunes turned with Norris securing his maiden career victory in Miami last May. Horner admitted that McLaren's recent form has put Red Bull under significant pressure to make a comeback.

"McLaren are setting the benchmark now. That's clear in terms of pace. They've been that the last couple of races," he acknowledged. "Certainly in Hungary they were very competitive. Spa it was Mercedes. Here, Lando in particular was very, very strong. Definitely they have the fastest car at the moment."

Horner highlighted the urgency for Red Bull to address their performance issues, stating, "We have to respond to that. It's not rocket science, there's no silver bullets in this business. It's a matter of understanding the problem, addressing it, and then implementing fixes to it."

As the season heads into its final nine rounds, Horner emphasized the importance of avoiding repeat performances like the one witnessed in the Netherlands.

"Based on today's performance, if it was like that at the next nine races, yes it would be very difficult," said Horner. "But it's only the fourth time this year that Max's points lead has reduced. It's only Lando's second win, but we know we have to find performance."

Horner concluded with a resolute intent for the remaining races, "So we were 78 points ahead, now we're 70 ahead. We want to make sure that we extend the lead, not see it continue to diminish."

As McLaren intensifies their challenge, Red Bull's quest to reclaim their dominance promises a thrilling end to the Formula 1 season.

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