Red Bull anticipate good run for rest of season
With five races remaining in what has been an intense and chaotic championship season, Red Bull is geared up and ready to make their last run a victorious endeavour. Brimming with confidence, yet keeping grounded, Red Bull boss Christian Horner and Sebastian Vettel are feeling positive about their contention for the coveted title.
Horner, pleased with Red Bull’s outcome at Monza which saw Mark Webber return to the forefront of the Driver’s Championship, is satisfied that the car met the challenge of the circuit. “Monza for us represented our biggest challenge and the fact we have come out and outscored McLaren as a team is massively positive,” Horner reflects, according to AutoSport.com. And given that Vettel finished fourth and Webber sixth on a circuit that is typically not suited to the Red Bull set-up, Horner is entitled to be pleased. Anticipating the next five races, Horner continues, “There are tracks that should suit us, tracks that should be a bit more marginal between teams but hopefully not offset all our strengths.”
Horner remains cautious, however, when considering the start of the next race. “We need to look at it quite carefully because our starts at the beginning of the year were quite strong. Over the last couple of races we have lost a bit of performance on the start-line.” The boss then went on to comment on Webber’s disappointment at the Italian Grand Prix. “He was frustrated he didn't get more out of the race, particularly losing so much time behind [Nico] Hulkenberg. But looking at the championship points on the way home, closing the European season as leader of the championship is a strong performance from him.”
For Sebastian Vettel, who has only two wins to his seven pole positions, the pressure of winning the title hangs heavier on his rivals’ shoulders than on his. Though currently fifth in the Driver’s Championship with 163 points, Vettel seems content with the outcome of the Grand Prix in Italy. He explains, “I am happy. We got the maximum out of the package in Italy, and that is all that matters. If we do that for the next five races then we can be proud, whatever the result. Yes, we are still behind – but it is the others who have to worry and try to defend their gap. For us it is flat out and trying to catch up.”
He adds “I think this year's points system makes people a bit more excited about things – but there are five races to go and a lot of points to get. If you look back over the years, being 10 points back – which is more or less 25 now – with five races to go was not much. Obviously you want to be ahead, but that is not our position. All we can do is try and have days like here, which is to achieve our maximum. Today it was fourth, maybe next time it is winning, maybe in two races' time it is third. As long as we achieve that, we are doing everything we can to win the championship."
It seems that, despite Button’s harsh reprimand of Vettel for his error at Spa which cost Button the race, the German prodigy is capable of handling the pressure and keeping his head on tightly. “One of the lessons of last year is to never stop believing,” he says. “So there is no need to rush things and no need to panic.”
The next Grand Prix will be in Singapore on 26 September, with practice sessions beginning on the 24th.
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