Horner praises "sensational Max" after a stellar performane at Imola
On the back of Max Verstappen’s unexpected victory at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has praised the Dutch driver for his aggressive move at the start which enabled him to take over the lead and win the race.
Reigning champion Max Verstappen looked to struggle for pace on Friday, complaining about the race pace of his RB21. However, he displayed a stellar performance in qualifying to secure second spot on the grid.
The Dutchman then endured a slow getaway at the start, but made an eye-catching move into Turn 1, braking late and braving it around the outside of Oscar Piastri to take the lead on the first lap.
McLaren had been expected to have dominant race pace and tyre management on the hot surface of the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari. However, Verstappen managed his medium tyres during his opening stint, and he received some good fortunes with VSC which enabled him to bank a cheap pit stop.
When the Safety Car came out, he lost his enormous advantage, but he did not lose his focus and drove into the distance for his second Grand Prix win of the year.
Reflecting on Red Bull’s 400th F1 race, team principal Christian Horner praised Verstappen for his brilliant move at the start while also stressing that the mechanics also contributed to the Milton Keynes-based outfit’s second victory of the season.
"What a win for Max in Imola! The perfect way to celebrate our 400th race and claim our fourth consecutive victory here. It was an impressive all round performance.
“Max delivered a sensational move at turn one to take the lead, followed by some strong work in the pit lane from the Team at the opportune moment to deliver a clinical victory.
Red Bull’s Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda suffered a massive crash in qualifying, which forced the Austro-British outfit to fit his RB21 with a fresh power unit alongside the necessary repair job.
Tsunoda started the Imola race from the pit lane, but he managed to climb up the order to finish in the points-scoring zone, adding a point to his tally.
“It was also a strong drive for Yuki who got into the points from the pit lane after the Team did a great job to rebuild his car overnight after Qualifying.
“A great 400th race for the Team which gives us something to build on into Monaco next week,” concluded Horner.
