The Austrian Grand Prix was once again a triumph for Red Bull Racing, especially for reigning world champion Max Verstappen. This edition of the race at Spielberg was the first to be held after the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, but Horner explains how he was there last weekend in spirit.
"Yeah, I mean he was our leader, founder. He created all of this, and he was Red Bull, and despite him not being here in his presence, you feel his spirit here. I think, hopefully watching down, he would have enjoyed that one," the Red Bull team boss told Sky Sports UK after Verstappen's victory and Sergio Perez's post-race comeback.
Red Bull wins for Mateschitz
Horner also sees a relationship between Mateschitz and Verstappen's extra pit stop. "He was pushing us about that pit stop. You could tell he wanted that soft set of tyres, and it was like, ‘Ok, look, no risk no fun’. That was what Dietrich always said, and the mechanics have been in such great form in the pits today. It was a very low-risk thing to do."
Before the weekend, Verstappen indicated that he and the team wanted to win for Mateschitz, and they lived up to that. "We are racing to make him proud," was Verstappen's message.