Horner defends 'demanding customer' Verstappen after criticism

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has defended Max Verstappen following the numerous occasions the three-time F1 champion has aired his frustration in recent weeks.

Over the team radio throughout a grand prix weekend, Verstappen has often bemoaned certain aspects of his RB20, and then during media sessions has called on the team to improve.

After two years of thorough domination, Verstappen is facing more of a challenge than at any time since the introduction of the current ground-effect regulations.

A stiff suspension on the car this year has resulted in its struggles to ride the kerbs and bumps, whilst rare failures have also served to hinder Verstappen's defence of his drivers' title.

In the Australian GP, Verstappen was forced to retire early on with a brake issue, whilst in second practice for the Canadian GP there was also an ERS failure, prompting a change of power unit and the faulty system returning to the Honda factory in Sakura for examination.

In Montreal, Verstappen continually expressed his displeasure with how certain aspects of the car was performing, yet still came away with a win to extend his lead at the top of the standings to 56 points over Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Horner naturally conceded it to be "a tough weekend" in Canada, and "a big weekend in the garage" for the team, in particular, given the engine change.

Asked whether he felt there was growing frustration inside Verstappen given some of his remarks, speaking to media including RacingNews365, Horner said: "Sometimes during the course of a championship you're sometimes going to get some choppy water.

"And Max is a demanding customer, as is everybody in the team, so he's only voicing what the team feel. Everybody is aiming for excellence. That's the way this team is, and what it strives for."