Mercedes 'uncomfortable losing to an energy drinks company' - Horner

Drivers' title goes down to the wire in Abu Dhabi

Ian Parkes

Saturday 11 December 2021 12:35

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes there would be embarrassment at Mercedes if it were to be beaten by an energy drinks company this F1 season.

While becoming constructors' champions is "a long shot", according to Horner given Red Bull is 28 points behind Mercedes, the focus from the perspective of the Milton Keynes-based team is to ensure Max Verstappen wins the drivers' title.

Horner has taken the narrative of David v Goliath as he feels the weight of Mercedes' "media machine" has been brought to bear on his driver in recent races

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"If you think of the size of Mercedes globally, it is one of the biggest automotive companies in the world, with the power they wield with the media around the world," assessed Horner. "We pale into insignificance in comparison.

"As Lewis Hamilton once called us, we're just an energy drinks company going racing.

"The Mercedes Formula 1 team has become a machine the last seven or eight years during its period of dominance.

"It obviously has the weight and power of the parent company behind it because I can't believe, as a major OEM, it's particularly comfortable being beaten by an energy drinks manufacturer.

"That's never sat comfortably, we know that, that's been made quite clear to us."

Hamilton's "f****** crazy" comment part of the narrative

During Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, at one stage Hamilton described his rival as "f****** crazy" for a move into turn one that sparked the chaos that unfolded soon after and the two time penalties for Verstappen.

Verstappen has already claimed he feels he is now being picked on, a situation he is at a loss to understand.

Insisting Verstappen is doing his best to stay focused given the furore at present, Horner added: "We've just gone about our business, a team of racers going racing.

"We've got a phenomenal driver who has driven his heart out this year.

"It's been intense off and on track, and I do think the spotlight, even the narrative in the last week of this 'Mad Max' scenario, and calling him 'crazy', there's been a very clear narrative."