Christian Horner has responded to accusations of brewing a toxic Mercedes rivalry, saying that no such dynamic exists between the teams.
Red Bull and Mercedes have been fighting over both the championships this season. It has been an exceptional contest. Even at this point in the season, nobody has any idea who will prevail once the season concludes.
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton of Red Bull and Mercedes respectively are on opposite sides of the Drivers’ Championship battle lines. There have been multiple incidents between the two drivers, and plenty of words exchanged.
The battle between the two drivers has been extrapolated by the two teams as well. As a result, there have been quite a few digs, jibes and mean comments traded between the two camps.
Horner responded to accusations of brewing a toxic Mercedes rivalry, saying that there is lots of respect between the two teams.
“We always respect each other once the sessions or the races start”. the Red Bull Team Principal said, as quoted by the Judge 13.
“There will always be friction. Mercedes wants to defend the title, we can finally win it again. That’s the only reason we’re here.
“We have little interaction with Mercedes actually, in the paddock. We don’t really have a relationship with each other, but we always respect each other once the sessions or the races start.
No inspiration taken
Mercedes have been the gold standard for teams in F1 for many years. They have won seven Constructors’ Championships in seven years, and have been absolutely dominant.
When asked if Red Bull sets Mercedes as a benchmark to follow, Horner said, “No, we don’t have a role model (in Mercedes), although they have been impressive.
“We set our own goals and standards. We are not followers, we don’t follow anyone.”
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