Christian Horner admits that Red Bull were "lucky" with the timing of a reliability concern for Max Verstappen at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Verstappen's RB19 experienced a driveshaft problem during Saturday's qualifying session, leaving him unable to progress beyond Q2. The Dutchman subsequently started the race from P15 on the grid but worked his way through the field to finish second behind teammate Sergio Perez, sealing another 1-2 result for the team. There were still concerns about reliability during the Grand Prix , however, and Horner is keen for the team to understand the issue, given the impact it could potentially have had during Sunday's race.
Horner: Reliability could have impacted first lap
When asked on the F1 Nation podcast how concerned he was about the reliability problems, Horner explained: "Of course, it's always an issue, and you're pushing the boundaries at all times. "It was an annoying issue [on Saturday]. In many respects, it was lucky it did happen [then] because another three laps and it would have been the first lap of the Grand Prix. "The most important thing is obviously to understand the issue and then address it."
Red Bull need to stay on top of reliability, says Horner
With Red Bull having outpaced their rivals during the opening two races of the 2023 F1 season, Horner is full of praise for what the squad have achieved. However, the team boss has warned that they need to stay on top of any potential reliability issues. "We've built a great car. It's a testimony to the great work that's gone on behind the scenes, by the whole factory because, of course, what you see at a Grand Prix weekend is only 10 per cent of what the total team is," he commented. "So for us to come out and achieve what has been the best start to a season I think we've ever had – we've never achieved consecutive 1-2 finishes at the start of the season. "Of course, we've had our moments. There's a few little reliability things that we just need to make sure we're on top of, but [it has been] a phenomenal performance by the whole team."
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