‘Massive ask’for Red Bull to win all remaining races: Horner
LONDON: Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said it would be a “massive ask” for them to win all six remaining races on the calendar despite the team having won five in a row and closing in on the drivers and constructors’ championships.
Red Bull have won 11 of the 16 races so far and Max Verstappen could wrap up the title in Singapore early next month.
When asked if Red Bull could run the table over the final weeks of the season, Horner told Autosport, “that’s a massive ask and (there is) some huge variance of circuits.
“Singapore compared to Monza, it’s got the most corners on the calendar. It’s bumpy, it’s a street track, so it’s a much different challenge,” the Briton added in the interview published on Monday.
“We’re in a great position in the championship. But we’re going to atack every race and do the best we can, then the points will take care of themselves.
“But you know, we’ve been quick at Spa, Zandvoort, Monza and Budapest even. So on a variance of circuits, the car’s performing really well.”
The title batle will be over on Oct. 2 if Verstappen scores 22 more points than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, his closest rival, in the next race under floodlights in Singapore.
NOTHING’S OFF THE TABLE FOR 2023 MERCEDES DESIGN, SAYS RUSSELL: Mercedes’ W13 turned heads at the beginning of this season with its striking, slim sidepods and radical design, but according to George Russell the team are exploring numerous options for their 2023 car.
Russell, who continued his run of top five finishes with a podium in last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, has scored 203 points this season – just 23 less than Valteri Botas scored in his last season for Mercedes – but neither he nor team mate Lewis Hamilton have won a race in 2022.
Asked whether Mercedes will change their radical design for 2023, Russell said: “I think nothing’s off the table. For sure we’ve got a prety unique design with the sidepods. It’s not off the cards that we will continue with that design, but it is equally not off the cars that we will completely change philosophy.
“But ultimately whether we have the wide sidepods or the narrow sidepods that isn’t the performance differentiator, there is more to it.”
Meanwhile, Williams Formula One driver Alex Albon said he hoped to race in Singapore ater missing last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix with appendicitis but recognised it would be tough.
The 26-year-old Thai was replaced at Monza by Dutch reserve Nyck de Vries, who finished ninth on his debut.
Albon was released from hospital last week and is recovering at home in Monaco ahead of the Singapore round which starts with practice on Sept. 30.
“I feel prety good, I feel OK,” he said in a video message on social media.
“Obviously on Saturday I had a slight issue and the doctors did an amazing job. I’m very grateful that they got me in good health and out of the hospital by Tuesday. I’ve been in Monaco since then, I’ve been starting to walk around and the goal is to be ready for Singapore which is going to be tough. It’s one of the toughest races that we go to, so it’s not an easy one.
“But let’s aim high and see what happens.”