Stefano Domenicali can go on holiday with peace of mind: the '23 season has ended and it was a success, with packed grandstands all over the world and an ever-growing television audience. Sport-wise, this was the year of Red Bull Racing, which won all but one Grand Prix. The Italian - himself once working for Ferrari - is full of admiration for the Austrian team's achievements.
Although it was a tough year with 22 Grands Prix, Domenicali said the season did fly by. "I have to say, it seems that we just started two days ago in Bahrain," he told Sky Sports. "Intense, I would say, full of an incredible awareness that we are growing. With regard to the sporting side of it, I would say congratulations to Max. He has set something impressive in terms of maturity, in terms of standards for Red Bull."
Compliment for Horner
Red Bull's team boss Christian Horner also gets kudos: "He did an incredible job. So congratulations, Christian [Horner]. I do believe that what they did is phenomenal."
According to the Italian, the season has shown that it is definitely possible to develop a car further despite the budget cap. Domenicali cites McLaren as an example, a team that advanced from the rear to a place at the front of the grid. Moreover, he noticed the 20 cars were very close together during qualifying. He expects the greater gaps in the races to change soon, possibly even as early as next season.