Christian Horner warns Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez: ‘We get not $1’

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has fired a warning at Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

Christian Horner is adamant the Constructors’ Championship is Red Bull’s number one goal.

The 2022 season secured an F1 double for Red Bull racing as Max Verstappen was victorious in the Driver’s Championship whilst Red Bull claimed the Constructor’s title, snatching the prize from bitter rivals Mercedes.

Having enjoyed a fruitful period between 2010-2013, winning four consecutive Constructors titles, a revamped Mercedes outfit burst onto the scene and instated pure dominance.

Toto Wolff and co were able to maintain perfection from 2014-2021, winning the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championship every year with Lewis Hamilton claiming six and Nico Rosberg one.

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Red Bull currently sit 122 points ahead of Aston Martin, with their old foes Mercedes in third.

“Formula One, you’ve got two championships. The Constructor’s Championship is where the money is distributed. We get not $1 for winning the driver’s championship,” the Red Bull boss stated.

Christian Horner has made it clear to his Red Bull drivers that the Constructor’s title is the all-important task.

Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen have quite frankly obliterated their opponents so far this season claiming five wins from five – three for Verstappen and two for Perez.

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Such thrills will be reminiscent of the Red Bull pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber – both drivers raced under Horner with Vettel claiming the Driver’s Championship.

The tension between the two Red Bull teammates began right from the get go with Webber often feeling his team favoured the young German. Sebastian Vettel would go on to win four Driver’s Championships for Red Bull, a feat never accomplished by Webber – albeit a tremendous driver.

But with the Driver’s Championship so tight, Horner will be anxious to see if his drivers can stay equitable.

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“What’s interesting this year is the dynamic between the two team-mates. Max has won three races, Sergio has won two races, there’s 14 points difference between the two of them. It’s going to be interesting to see that inter-team dynamic,” Horner told the Financial Times.

“It is about being transparent and talking things through, going through the expectations and reminding them they drive for a team. They represent every team member when they are driving their cars and all our partners. It is not just about them.

“In a briefing or meeting they take that on but as soon as they put a crash helmet on, I think it goes straight out the other ear. You can see the respect they have in the way they race each other. They drive hard but fair and give each other space which is what we ask.”