Red Bull can go into next year with “great momentum” thanks to Max Verstappen’s win in Abu Dhabi, Christian Horner says.
The Dutchman produced a dominant performance, claiming pole and the win at Yas Marina, with former teammate Daniel Ricciardo only denying him the fastest lap too on the final lap.
And back in Parc Ferme, Verstappen was pleased to have pulled off a very Mercedes-like performance.
“It was really enjoyable,” he said after his 10th Grand Prix win. “It was already enjoyable after yesterday.
“I think once you start up front you can control the pace a bit more and it makes your life a bit easier.
“Today we had a good start and from then on, of course, you look after the tyres. But the car had a really good balance, and we did basically everything right.”
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Despite the rather uneventful evening under the lights, as an early pit-stop during a Safety Car saw drivers mostly tyre managing for 44 laps, Red Bull boss Horner was pleased to finally be back on the top step in Abu Dhabi.
“That was the best most static race we’ve enjoyed for a long, long time,” he said. “I think 2013 was the last time we won here. I think 2013 was the last time anybody but Mercedes won here.
“But Max all weekend has just been absolutely clinical the way he has driven and whatever they had, he had a response to today.
“You always want to try and win the last race because it just sets up the winter, you take that momentum into the winter and I think for all the guys and girls back home at Milton Keynes that have put so much into this year,” Horner added.
“It’s not [just] what you see at the circuit, it’s what goes on behind the scenes and particularly in the kind of year that we have had with all the restrictions, the lockdown, the different calendar and it’s testimony to that hard work that we’ve got ourselves into this position.”
And with a chassis freeze in place and other limitations on development for 2021, Red Bull’s strong end to this season does suggest F1 could have a more competitive championship to look forward to next year.
“We’ve got to take this momentum,” the team boss stated.
“Mercedes have done an absolutely top class job this year and they’re not standing still, they’re pushing. We carry over a large element of this car into next year and that is why we’ve kept pushing, to learn and learn and learn, and I think that gives us great momentum.
“I think if we can take that, next year is not that far away now, so that is important for us and I think gives everybody a good shot of confidence.”