Horner hits back at Hamilton over punishment gripe

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has hit back at Lewis Hamilton's claim the team's punishment for breaching the 2021 F1 budget cap didn't fit the crime.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit was dealt with a $7 million fine and a 10 per cent reduction in aerodynamic testing allowance for the current season after being found guilty of a minor breach of what was then a $145 million cap.

But Red Bull's dominance this season, with 10 wins from 10 races, has led to concerns over apparent leniency in the penalty handed out, with Mercedes driver Hamilton conceding he was worried that other teams may look to take the hit knowing what could be gained on track.

Firing back, Horner told Sky Sports: "Believe me, the hit that we’ve taken with the lack of wind tunnel time that we have compared to our competitors is a massive compromise.

"If wind tunnels don’t count then why don’t we just get rid of them?

"It’s always easy to throw shade when you’re not performing. It’s one of the things in Formula One that will always continue to happen."

Outstanding achievement

A win at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix would see Red Bull break the record for most consecutive wins by a team, surpassing the 11 it is currently tied on with McLaren, who achieved the feat with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1988.

"I’m just incredibly proud of the job that our team’s doing with the constraints and handicap that we have," said Horner.

"To be performing at the level we have this year, to have achieved 11 straight victories, it’s been an outstanding achievement."