Mercedes won the "money" but Red Bull won "prestige" crown - Horner

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has claimed the "prestige" of the F1 drivers' title is greater than that of success in the constructors' fight despite conceding the team crown "is where the money is".

For the first time since Lewis Hamilton won his maiden drivers' title in 2008 with McLaren, the two championship trophies have been claimed by different teams.

In 2009, Brawn secured both titles before Red Bull achieved such success from 2010 to 2013. From 2014 to 2020, it was Mercedes that clinched the two championships.

"Of course, the constructors' has huge importance to it because of that revenue distribution - we're talking millions and millions of dollars difference between first and second place, for example," said Horner, speaking at the end of the season.

"But the prestige of the drivers' world championship, that's the big one, the one you really want and that's why it meant to so much."

Although F1 now races under a cost cap, success in the constructors' championship provides funds to spend on areas not included in the cap.

"The constructors' is where the money is," added Horner. "That's where the revenues that come into the sport are distributed based on your performance in the championship.

"I think every employee in our team, in most of the teams, are rewarded on where they are in the constructors' championship as opposed to the drivers'.

"The drivers' obviously has the popularity, has the prestige but I don't think there's a single employee in our business who would have traded first place in the constructors' for this drivers' championship.

"Everybody, when you see the reaction Max had when he visited the factory, is so proud of what he's achieved."

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