News
Engine partner was ‘missing ingredient’ for Red Bull before Honda arrived, says Horner
Share
Red Bull are primed for a title assault in 2020 as they bid to topple reigning champs Mercedes, and Team Principal Christian Horner reckons engine suppliers Honda might just be their secret weapon.
The Bulls are chasing their first title since 2013 – the year they won the last of their four drivers' and constructors' championship doubles before the Silver Arrows began to dominate the hybrid era – and Horner believes they now have all the building blocks in place to mount a serious challenge. He particularly singled out Honda, who replaced Renault as the team's power unit suppliers in 2019.
READ MORE: The Winners and Losers of 2020 F1 pre-season testing
“I think we've got a very strong team," he said. "Our driver line-up, our team, the strength and depth that we have within the team [and] I think our engine partners are a key aspect as well.
“It's been the missing ingredient in the last few years, and I think that relationship with Honda we saw really grow during the course of last year, with the three victories we achieved, the pole positions that we achieved.”
All three of those victories came from Max Verstappen, who shone in Austria and triumphed through the unforgettable chaos of Germany, and again in Brazil. Now the team are aiming for more success with a stable driver line-up, as Alex Albon begins his first full season with them.
READ MORE: Making sense of the 5 biggest trending topics from pre-season testing
“Heading into a second year with the continuity, with the power unit more integrated into the chassis, of course, our expectations grow and they rise and our targets are very high this year. That's the challenge," Horner said.
2020 Pre-Season Team Guide - Red Bull
“We know we've got some fierce opponents and great competitors, but I think we do have the strength and depth in our team to hopefully put a real challenge together this year.”
Over the six days of pre-season testing, Red Bull managed 780 laps and short-run pace that bested Ferrari’s – with long-run pace a whisker away from Mercedes’, which bred a quiet optimism in Horner.
“It just feels that we're better prepared going into the season ahead than we were 12 months ago. The relationship is more mature between ourselves and Honda, the regulations have been stable… so I think, hopefully, we're in reasonable shape,” he added.
READ MORE: Pre-season testing analysis: Mercedes look unbeatable – but they DO have a weakness
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
TechnicalF1 Unlocked TECH WEEKLY: How Red Bull’s Hungary upgrades aim to solve an inherent conflict in F1’s ground effect cars
Feature IT'S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix
News Antonelli offers honest assessment over F1 promotion chances as he admits ‘I don’t know if I’d be ready’
FeatureF1 Unlocked HINCH'S HEROES: Who impressed IndyCar star James Hinchliffe in the Hungary heat?
![Coming Up](https://media.formula1.com/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1721656382/fom-website/2024/Hungary/Winners-and-Losers-Hungary-V1.jpg)