Horner warns against "premature" Red Bull title talk

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has claimed it is still too early to talk about winning the world title despite just eight points separating Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

In each of the opening three races of the current season, Hamilton and Verstappen have finished in the top two positions although the Mercedes driver has twice gotten the better of his rival.

Keen to play down expectations and paying respect to Mercedes' current seven-year spell of dominance, Horner said: "It is very premature to be talking about championships and at the moment we are just a challenger but we want to keep that pressure on.

"Nobody has really challenged Mercedes over the last seven years. I think it would be great for us, for the team and it would be good for the sport if we can manage to do that."

Prior to Mercedes emergence as the pacesetters in the sport, Red Bull scored four drivers' and constructors' championship doubles between 2010 and 2013.

Of his current staff, Horner added: "Fundamentally the group of people is the same group that has won all the championships. We have had great continuity and everyone is up for the fight."

On Friday at the Spanish Grand Prix, Red Bull endured a difficult day with Verstappen and Sergio Perez ending the day ninth and 10th fastest and over six-tenths adrift of Hamilton.

Prior to an error at the newly reprofiled turn 10 on his qualifying simulation, Verstappen was on course to set a time that would have put him inside the top four.

On a track with very few overtaking opportunities, Horner is aware the Dutchman can ill-afford a similar mistake in qualifying.

"Qualifying is crucial," he continued. "It is important we are close to Mercedes here.

"It is not a sprint, it is a marathon and it would be unbelievable if we could beat Mercedes at this kind of circuit but we need not to be conceding too many points at the moment and keep an eye on the long game.

"It is at the business end of the championship with five or six races to go, that is where the pressure really comes. At this stage, you have got to be chalking up the points and getting the results."

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