Horner elated as Verstappen signs new deal
HAMILTON IN FINE FETTLE AT US GRAND PRIX OPENING PRACTICE
ed Bull chief Christian Horner could hardly disguise his glee on Friday after the team confirmed they had re-signed Max Verstappen on a new three-year contract.
The 20-year-old Dutchman will stay with the team until 2020 after agreeing a deal that delighted Red Bull and ended widespread speculation about his future.
“He’s in the best place in the sport to build a team around him,” said Horner, who said he hoped also to retain Australian Daniel Ricciardo.
Both drivers have been linked with moves to Ferrari and Mercedes. But Horner was happy to sweep that speculation aside by re-signing the sport’s hottest young driver.
“What Max has seen this year is the strength in depth in the team, its ability to develop and ability to dig itself out of an issue where we started the year.
“It’s been a characterbuilding year for him, but he feels very comfortable in the environment and he’s enjoying racing within the team. He sees the commitment that is there for the future.”
Many paddock observers believe the retention of Verstappen made clear that Red Bull intend to make him the focal point for their future plans just as rivals Mercedes and Ferrari have done with Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.
Ricciardo’s ends in spoken with Horner. current contract 2018. “We’ve Daniel,” said
Championship leader Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, continued his record-breaking form when he reeled off a ‘double top’ in practice for the United States Grand Prix.
As his title rival Sebastian Vettel struggled through a difficult second session in which he spun off in his Ferrari, Hamilton smashed the lap record at the Circuit of the Americas.
His best lap in one minute and 34.668 seconds saw him outpace nearest rival Max Verstappen.