Horner declares Red Bull will go all out against McLaren in title battle

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Team boss Christian Horner announced on Sunday that the team will quot;throw everything "into reclaiming the lead from McLaren".

Having led the championship since 2022, Red Bull enjoyed a record-breaking season last year, amassing 21 wins out of 22 races. However, the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw Oscar Piastri's victory and Lando Norris' fourth-place finish propel McLaren to the top of the standings, 20 points ahead of Red Bull. The race was a challenging one for the reigning champions, with Sergio Pérez crashing out in his pursuit of a podium finish and Max Verstappen crossing the line in fifth place.

Verstappen's lead over Norris in the Drivers' Championship has now decreased to 59 points from a previous 62, with seven rounds left in the season.

Horner acknowledged the setback but emphasized that the battle is far from over.

"Look, we're now not defending, we're chasing. So it changes the dynamic again, and we're just going to throw everything at it," he stated. "We've got 20 points as a deficit now, so we've got to attack."

Going into the race in much better form compared to recent outings, Red Bull started with Pérez in fourth place and Verstappen in sixth, while Piastri lined up second and Norris began from 15th.

A dramatic turn of events occurred on the penultimate lap, as Pérez collided with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz. This, coupled with strategic teamwork and strong driving from McLaren, saw the former champions ascend to the top of the standings for the first time since 2014.

"It's frustrating, particularly after where Lando qualified, that we didn't beat him today, but thankfully he hasn't scored big points," Horner remarked.

Pérez, reflecting on his recent performances, echoed the team's sentiments of frustration but noted the improvements in car performance.

"It's a massive frustration," he admitted after the race. "But the positive thing is that the pace is back."

As the championship race heats up, Red Bull is poised to attack with full force to reclaim their position at the pinnacle of Formula One racing.

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