Red Bull team boss Christian Horner will remain neutral until the end of the season
Red Bull’s team boss Christian Horner claims that there will be no team orders in favour of either Mark Webber or Sebastian Vettel as the fight for the drivers’ title reaches its climax.
Webber will head into next weekend’s inaugural Korean Grand Prix 14 points ahead of his teammate Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso but Horner said that the point’s difference does not matter in terms of team favouritism.
‘We have a luxury problem. For the team it is fantastic that we have two drivers eligible for the title. And we don't need to dig too much into psychoanalysis to understand that if two guys are fighting for the most prestigious title in motorsport then tension
is part of the game,” Horner told the official F1 website.
Horner believes that the team will have to make sure that neither of the two drivers feels disadvantaged as there are still 75 points up for the grabs and the team boss vowed that the team will not interfere in the race for the title.
Webber’s manager Flavio Briatore recently stated that the team should put their backing behind the driver to help him secure the title or otherwise, the team would risk both drivers’ and constructors’ titles. However, Horner played Briatore’s thoughts down
quickly on this matter as Sebastian Vettel has been faster than Mark Webber this season but has been unlucky. Vettel should be given a chance and this was a strong statement from the team boss.
“What else should he say as Mark's manager? My answer is a clear 'no'. Of course, I can imagine that Flavio would prefer it if we go the Ferrari way and put our efforts behind only one driver, but that would be wrong, as both are right in the middle of the
fight for the title,” added the team boss.
This is exactly what Red Bull currently requires in order to establish themselves professionally in the sport for good. Red Bull’s team boss has been quite influential in terms of managing his drivers and Ferrari should learn something from this experience.
Races and championships can be won even more easily if the drivers are given the right to race the way they want and achieve the goals they have been aiming for instead of the team’s goals. Mark Webber is currently leading the world championship followed by
his teammate Sebastian Vettel in 2nd and the team is leading the constructors’ standings with a 45 point margin over McLaren.
All the team can expect from its drivers is that they do not obstruct each other in any way.
“Sebastian has to fight for every single point. But after his Japan win the pressure has eased a bit because in the end he has nothing to lose. Mark has to do a balancing act. He must not drive too defensively but on the other hand must keep his margin over
his competitors,” said Christian Horner.
Horner added that Red Bull is not the only team chasing this year’s titles. McLaren and Ferrari have been very strong and unpredictable this year so anything can happen in the final three races left in this season.
The team is aware that their rivals will have a better advantage over them in the coming tracks especially at the Abu Dhabi race. McLaren was doing very well there last year, keeping in mind that they were nowhere near Red Bulls back then. The Korean and
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will suite the McLarens and Ferraris better, so the team will have to put in some extra effort in order to secure a good result there.
Both titles are still not certain but at least the team is putting in a show and making it more exciting for the fans as well as the teams. This is how a sport is supposed to be and this is what Formula 1 was supposed to be since it was established.
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