Christian Horner, Red Bull Formula 1 team boss, believes that the team would be better this year. He maintains that the team evolved through RB16 car diagnosis and its solutions.
Horner hopes to be a better and thorough rival to the Mercedes this year. His squad only managed to win twice this season. It was the lowest since 2016 for the team despite Ferrari dropping the top battle.
Red Bull’s car RB16 had inherent aerodynamic issues, while Mercedes W11 dominated the arena. Nonetheless, Red Bull closed the gap and managed their tyres effectively to win 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. It also won the finale from pole at Abu Dhahbi Grand Prix.
The German and Austrian teams approached F1 car design differently while considering 2020-2021 design requirements. Red Bull strategized a continuous up-gradation program while Mercedes opted to run in with a complete package.
Horner maintains Mercedes as a favorite this season considering last year’s performance. However, he believes continuous performance through last year’s season would ultimately payoff the team.
“We’ve seen one team be totally dominant for the last seven years,” he told in an exclusive interview for this week’s Autosport magazine.
“And with continuity going into this year of largely car and drivers [being the same], on the Mercedes side, you would expect them to be in a very strong position again.
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“But I hope by using the lessons that we’ve learned from 2020. We can put a more sustained challenge to Mercedes, who will undoubtedly be incredibly strong and very much the favourites this year – particularly off the back of a car, which was arguably their best car of the hybrid era.
“That’s going to be quite a challenge for us. But one that we’re relishing.”
Horner also deems Mercedes to draw more enthusiasm from its defeat in Abu Dhahbi.
“Mercedes are a very rounded team, and they’ve been solid for a long time now – and all credit to them for the records that they’ve broken with seven successive championships,” said Horner.
“But I think we have been the most consistent challenger over the past seven years. We’ve managed to win races in six of those seven years.
“And it’s important for us to keep trying to be better in every area.
“Mercedes is quite a machine, but we’ve demonstrated that you can beat them – by working hard, by applying yourself to the task in hand.
“I think that they will be tremendously motivated because of that last race in Abu Dhabi and I expect that Toto has used that, and James Allison [too], to come up with an even more competitive car for this year.
“So, we don’t in any way underestimate the might of Mercedes. But we’ve always been a been a challenger.
“Our objective is, as I say, to take the lessons that we learned in 2020 into 2021. And hopefully RB16B will be a good evolution.
“Mercedes are the clear favourites with seven consecutive titles but we are excited about the challenge this season and won’t give up in our hunt for a fifth title.”
