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Horner explains how Verstappen has reacted to Red Bull struggles as he vows team will 'come back'
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Christian Horner has praised Max Verstappen for how he has responded to Red Bull’s recent dip in form, with the team boss hailing his driver for showing “great maturity” in his approach to the situation.
After a dominant display during the opening stages of the season, Verstappen and the team have seen their leads in both championships come under pressure amid an increasingly tight battle with their rivals as the campaign has progressed.
READ MORE: Horner admits Red Bull ‘under pressure’ as he explains ‘vicious circle’ team are in
Recent races have proven particularly challenging for the Milton Keynes outfit, with Verstappen and team mate Sergio Perez ending the Italian Grand Prix in sixth and eighth respectively. Verstappen later commented that the squad would need to “basically change the whole car” before the next event on the calendar in Baku to address their issues.
Despite those frustrations, Verstappen also acknowledged that the situation is “part of racing unfortunately” and, speaking after the race, Horner reflected positively on how the Dutchman is dealing with the team’s struggles.
“What’s really impressed me with Max is how he’s really engaged in this process,” said Horner. “He’s not panicking, he’s working with the engineers, he’s explaining very clearly where the issues are, he’s putting the time and effort in.
Verstappen has not won a race since the Spanish Grand Prix in June
“He was in early this morning, he was on Zoom calls last week, he’ll be on the simulator before the next race, and he’s really working hard at this. I think he’s shown great maturity as a world champion, the way he’s working with the engineering group.
“Nobody likes the situation we’re in at the moment, nobody’s happy with it and we’ve got to work really hard to turn it around. But the one thing this team has is strength and depth in talent, and we’ll come back.”
Verstappen has seen his lead in the drivers’ championship come down to 62 points from nearest challenger Lando Norris, while Red Bull are now only eight points clear of McLaren in the constructors’ standings.
As such, Horner admitted after the team’s difficult weekend at Monza that they will need to work on the performance level of the RB20 in order to win both titles.
Horner has been impressed by how Verstappen has engaged in the process of addressing Red Bull's car issues
“Based on today’s performance, you’d say both [championships] are under absolute pressure,” he conceded. “We were the fourth fastest car today and that’s the reality. We’ve got to turn it around, if we want to make sure we win both titles we’ve got to put performance on the car.”
All focus will now be on trying to address the car’s problems, with Horner optimistic that some solutions can be put in place prior to the upcoming double header of Azerbaijan and Singapore, as well as during the short break afterwards.
MONDAY MORNING DEBRIEF: From a ‘dominant’ car to a ‘monster’ – What has happened to Red Bull?
“The most important thing is understanding the issue, and I think there are certain fixes that potentially can be introduced, perhaps not the resolve the whole issue but address some of it,” the Team Principal explained.
“I think we have a two-week period before Baku and Singapore and then we have another mini-break where we can work in-between Singapore and Austin, so this time now is crucial.”
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