Horner: Red Bull's 2019 problems won't return in 2020

Christian Horner believes Red Bull have cracked the issues that held them back at the start of the season and expects 2020 to deliver strong performances.

Max Verstappen ended 2018 as arguably the form driver on the grid, but momentum was lost at the start of 2019, with the Dutchman on the podium in just two of the first eight races before a surprise win in Austria.

Verstappen is level on points with Sebastian Vettel in fourth place in the drivers' championship, the same position he finished last season.

Horner says the new front-wing regulations for 2019, allied to the team partnering Honda for the first time, held them back, but the issues are now behind them.

"The momentum that we have built this year, it was always going to be a transitionary year," he told Motorsport.com.

"I think what Honda have done in improving each of the engines that have been introduced [is positive], and I think chassis wise for sure we took a bigger hit on the front wing regs than perhaps some of our competitors, but having understood that and worked our way through that, it very much feels like we are building good momentum in the latter stage of development of this car into 2020.

"I think collectively there are a lot of good things going on and this year has been very much a transitionary year.

"I think working with the engineers at Sakura and Milton Keynes, they have really gelled extremely well, and I think we will start to see the benefits of that hopefully during the course of next year."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

Max Verstappen F1 trolling backfires

• 1 hour ago

Haas F1 star announced for new drive

• 2 hours ago

Luring Verstappen to Aston Martin? Stroll arrives at Nurburgring where F1 star is testing

• 3 hours ago

The brutal Max Verstappen exit clause revealed and why it's bad news for Red Bull

• Yesterday 20:26

FIA on alert over new Mercedes engine trick that has 'annoyed' Ferrari

• Yesterday 19:43

Red Bull F1 boss opens up on 'retirement talk' with Max Verstappen

• Yesterday 18:59