Horner expects tough title fight in 2023: 'We won't underestimate anyone'

Christian Horner expects the title race in 2023 to be a lot tougher than a year earlier. In an interview with Auto, Motor und Sport the Red Bull Racing team boss explains that he expects more opposition from the competition.

2022 was an unprecedentedly dominant year for Red Bull. Max Verstappen clinched the title with four races to go, and in the very next race Red Bull was also assured of winning in the constructors' standings. While much of this of course came from the qualities of Red Bull itself, the team was also helped somewhat by Mercedes' ailing start and the fact that Ferrari slumped somewhat in the second half of the season.

Horner does not expect that to happen again this year. Asked which of the two teams will be the biggest challenge in 2023, the team boss expressed no preference and even added some additional names to the list. "I think we shouldn’t underestimate any of them," Horner explained. "We just gotta focus on ourselves. Hopefully we’ll draw on all the positives we had with the RB18. But Alpine made progress in the second half of the year, Aston Martin we keep hearing big numbers from their expectations. McLaren may even get it together this year. You just don’t know what the running order will be. Inevitably the grid should, with stable regulations, start to close up."

No place for Binotto at Red Bull

Horner was also asked about his former rival Mattia Binotto. The Italian left as Ferrari team boss late last year after he no longer felt supported by the company's top brass. Although Binotto's period as team boss left something to be desired, he is mostly seen as a good designer and someone with a lot of technical insight. Horner was thus asked if Red Bull had any plans to use Binotto's talents.

"I wouldn’t see what role he would perform", Horner replied. "Obviously it was tough for him last year, because Ferrari made a big step forward. Maybe there’s other opportunities for him further down the grid."