Unique battle between Hamilton and Verstappen: 'They rise above the rest'

Red Bull Racing and Mercedes are battling it out for the world title this year. The battle for the title will be fought on and off the track, but according to Christian Horner it is still very close. The Brit is particularly enjoying the duel between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

Red Bull in the lead

After years of waiting, the moment has finally arrived. We have an exciting world championship again. Red Bull Racing has broken Mercedes' dominant run and is now in the lead in the standings. However, there is still a long way to go for the Austrians.

"It changes from race to race. It's still very close. A tenth of a second on average. Mercedes is a bit better on the tyres. You could see that at the end of the stints in Bahrain, Imola and certainly in Barcelona. We bring the tyres faster into the right window, and are more reliable. All in all theteams are equal,'' says Horner in conversation with Auto, Motor und Sport.

Hamilton versus Verstappen

With the fight on the track, the fight off the track is also erupting, with Mercedes' threats about the 'Flexwings'. ''It's part of the game and a compliment. We are honoured that they are so interested in our rear wing, pit stop and processes. They clearly see us as a big threat. Maybe that helps us, because when you look at the opponent so much, you lose focus on your own problems.''

Horner at the moment is enjoying Formula 1 to the full, with the duel between Max and Lewis being the highlight. ''As a Formula 1 fan you couldn't have had better. You want to see those two compete against each other to see who is really the best. It's like Federer versus Djokovic. Max makes sure Lewis has to get everything out of himself and vice versa. That's what makes them better and makes them rise above the rest,'' concludes the Red Bull Racing team boss.