Christian Horner feels that Max Verstappen's aggressive approach at the start of the Austrian Grand Prix was key to Red Bull beating the Ferraris. Verstappen started the second F1 Sprint of the season on pole position and converted it into victory after surviving an early attack from behind. Charles Leclerc initially challenged for the lead off the line before Carlos Sainz attempted a move into Turn 3, with the Dutchman resisting both efforts. With his lead intact, Verstappen stormed clear over the early laps to get out of DRS range as the Ferrari pair squabbled for the remaining podium positions. Assessing what made the difference in Red Bull's latest fight against Ferrari, Horner told Sky Sports F1 : "I think actually they didn't push their tyres as hard at the beginning of the stint and then were marginally quicker at the end. "We wanted to break the DRS quickly and Max broke that one second [by going] very hard on the first and second flying lap, so it's just a different approach."
Horner praises both Verstappen and Perez
Verstappen's win was backed up by teammate Sergio Perez charging from 13th to fifth - one place behind his original grid slot - after the Mexican's best qualifying lap times were deleted due to a track limits violation. Continuing his assessment of the Sprint, Red Bull's team boss said: "[Verstappen] was managing [his pace]. "It's a reasonably long stint on those tyres and what you take out at the beginning, you lose at the end. "[It was] a very controlled drive by Max, so we're happy with that, and it's a great recovery by Checo, almost back into the position that he qualified. "Overall, it was a pretty decent Sprint race." Red Bull hold a solid 62-point lead in the Constructors' standings after the Sprint, with Ferrari closing in by a point.
Most read
