F1 News: Christian Horner reveals frustrations at public view of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez F1 controversy

Verstappen, Horner, Perez, Prize Giving 2022 — Photo: © LAT Images

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Horner reveals frustrations at public view of Verstappen and Perez F1 controversy

Christian Horner has defended his drivers amid controversy

Cal Gaunt

Sunday 14 January 2024 20:57 Updated: 22:39

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Christian Horner has expressed his frustration at how the public viewed Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez's controversial team orders incident at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2022.

Red Bull requested the Dutchman make way for Perez, allowing him to advance to sixth and bolster his fight against Charles Leclerc for second place in the drivers' championship.

Verstappen's refusal to do so impacted the team's quest for its inaugural championship one-two finish, which they only eventually secured in 2023.

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Horner, speaking on the Secrets of Success podcast, expressed his belief that certain aspects of the incident could have been handled more effectively by all parties involved.

Christian Horner said the way the aftermath of the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix was handled frustrated him

Max Verstappen refused to let Sergio Perez pass him in Sao Paolo

Horner: We could have all done better

“Something like that is always frustrating when it's played out publicly," said Horner. "It was discussed after the event immediately behind closed doors with the two drivers.

“I think in any point of contention or controversy, the most important thing is to get it on the table to understand well, what was going through your mind at this point in time and to explain from a team's point of view, what is the importance and significance.

“I think 90 per cent of things can be addressed when they're dealt with honesty and obviously in the right forum, not always through the public and that was a situation that was important and the drivers talked [and] that obviously I spoke with the drivers.

“I think the lesson for us coming out of that was that there's things that we could have all done better, but I think it was a question of them being discussed. If it had been clear and discussed upfront. We hadn't envisaged being fifth and sixth on the last lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix. And, we shouldn't have assumed.”