Red Bull team boss Horner swallows early defeat in title battle with McLaren as 'focus' shifts

15:26, 21 May

byToby Nixon

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has admitted that Red Bull is set to focus on the driver's championship for the remainder of 2025. While he acknowledges that there's still a long way to go, he admits that the focus is not on beating McLaren in the constructor's title fight.

With the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in the books, the first quarter of the Formula 1 season is now behind us. Max Verstappen impressed at Imola, securing his second win of the year. He now sits third in the championship, 22 points behind leader Oscar Piastri. With so much of the season still to go, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes the driver's title fight is anything but decided.

"I've always said this championship is a marathon," Horner told Sky Sports. "I mean, we're in like, what, race seven? We've managed to win two of them now. And it's all about where you are at the end of it. You've got to make sure you stay in touch through this phase.

"We're finding form. And this is sort of a triple header now, a completely different challenge next weekend. Then a regulation change the weekend after so the races start coming at you thick and fast."

Verstappen has achieved two victories this season, while Piastri has already claimed four.

Red Bull have 'full focus' on the driver's championship

While Christian Horner remains confident that Max Verstappen can clinch a fifth world title, he has largely conceded that the constructors' championship may be out of reach for Red Bull Racing this season.

After seven rounds, McLaren lead on 279 points, while Red Bull sit in third on 131. A large deficit for an early stage of the year means that their focus has had to shift.

"Our full focus is on the driver's championship. Obviously [if] both cars are scoring, and the more that Yuki works his way up the order, the bigger role he can play. I mean, you saw him play a small role today, working hard to keep Oscar behind him for a crucial lap or so."

Yuki Tsunoda worked his way back into the points after starting the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from the pitlane. It was an impressive effort from the Japanese driver who crashed heavily in qualifying.

Horner continued: "But yes, for us, all focus is on that drivers' championship. We've got a very clear number one in our team, and that's where, obviously, the main focus is."