Christian Horner delivers Max Verstappen boost as F1 title streak under major threat

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has asserted his team will refuse to throw in the towel in the drivers' championship fight.

Verstappen clinched F1 title success from 2021 to 2024 and entered the new season looking to become only the second driver in history to win five championships in a row.

However, after nine rounds into the campaign, Verstappen sits 49 points down on leader Oscar Piastri.

His deficit increased after he picked up a 10-second time penalty at last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, relegating him from fourth to 10th at the chequered flag.

While acknowledging McLaren hold a large advantage on the timesheet, Horner asserted the team will continue to boost the potential of the car in the interest of Verstappen's title pursuit.

“There’s a significant gap now, but there are an awful lot of points still available,” Horner told media including RacingNews365.

“We're not even the halfway point in the year.

“McLaren is in a very strong position - but we never give up.

“He’s out there doing his best. It's always difficult, it just looks easier for the car ahead.

“Compared to the rest of the field, you could see we were able to pull away.

“Each of the stints, it’s just McLaren is clearly a step ahead.”

Verstappen has scored 95 per cent of Red Bull's points so far this year with Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson before him struggling to extract pace from the car.