Red Bull encouraged by gains in second half of F1 2018

Christian Horner says Red Bull’s level of competitiveness in the second half of the 2018 Formula 1 season has left him feeling encouraged about the team’s prospects heading into 2019.

Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo claimed four victories between them in 2018 and also recorded the team’s first pole position at a track other than Monaco during the V6 hybrid era at the Mexican Grand Prix. 

While a spate of reliability failures on both cars proved a frustrating factor of the team’s campaign, clear improvements were made as the season progressed, with Red Bull at times appearing to have the fastest car compared to rivals Mercedes and Ferrari in the final few races. 

“I think we made some good progress and development with the car,” Horner said. 

“Really since just after the summer break… Spa we were on the podium, we should have been on the podium in Monza, Singapore we were strong, Russia we were strong, obviously Japan, Mexico, Texas.

“There’s been a strong sequence of podiums there so I think we’ve made a lot of progress with the car in the second part of the year.

“I think the car was very strong at the beginning,” he added. 

“I think we lost ground around Montreal time when engine upgrades were introduced, we fell back from Mercedes and Ferrari but then I think by after the summer break, we managed to get into a competitive position again.” 

Horner, who claimed the 2018 season could have looked “quite different” if Red Bull had an extra 40kW of power from Renault, believes communication will be key to a successful partnership with new engine supplier Honda. 

"Communication in any business, in particular in this sport, is a vital element,” Horner explained. 

“Obviously Honda being based in Japan but their UK base is just around the corner from us in Milton Keynes. 

“We’ve obviously got a huge amount of discussion going on between the groups and so far it’s all been very positive.

“I think we’ve found a very healthy working environment that we’ve been nurturing through the relationship with Red Bull technology, Toro Rosso and Honda, that we don’t go into next year completely afresh.”