Christian Horner pokes fun at Mercedes in engine row after "ballistic" McLaren earns front row

Lando Norris in actie op de Red Bull Ring. — Photo: © LAT Images

Austrian Grand Prix

Horner pokes fun at Mercedes in engine row after "ballistic" McLaren earns front row

Red Bull has been forced to defend itself over rumoured Honda power upgrades in recent weeks

Ewan Gale

Saturday 3 July 2021 18:00

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has poked fun at Mercedes by further dispelling rumours over engine performance after Lando Norris qualified second for the Austrian Grand Prix for a "ballistic" McLaren.

Red Bull and Honda have repeatedly batted away suggestions a recent new power unit provided at the French Grand Prix had added performance, against the sport's regulations.

With Norris qualifying second, however, just 0.048secs off Max Verstappen's pole time in a Mercedes-powered McLaren, Horner jibed there was clearly no disparity between the two power units.

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"It was mighty close with the McLaren," Horner told Sky Sports F1. "That McLaren, any comments about the Mercedes engine... it is certainly going well in the back of the McLaren because they are ballistic in straight-line speed.

"I am sure they are going to be a factor tomorrow but to have both cars ahead of the Mercedes here - we don't know what the weather is going to do tomorrow so we have to react to that but it is a phenomenal starting position."

Horner explains Verstappen frustration

Despite clinching pole with championship rival Lewis Hamilton finishing only fourth, Verstappen was audibly frustrated with his Red Bull team and their qualifying tactics.

Heading out first for his second run in Q3, Verstappen went on to post a significantly slower time, leading to the arguably narrow gap than expected to his rivals.

"With Max, he is always looking for that little bit more and he felt there was more in the car today," explained Horner.

"He had a slight lock-up on the first run so we wanted to give him clean air for the last run and that meant he ended up at the front of the queue.

"When you are at the front of the queue, you are creating a hole in the air. That gave Lando just behind him a slight tow so that is what he was a little frustrated about at the end there.

"Nevertheless a phenomenal performance and to have Checo [Perez] up there ahead of Mercedes is a great team result."