Horner impressed by Verstappen: 'That leave him cold'

Max Verstappen impressed with his performance in Russia. Red Bull Racing hoped to limit the damage, but Christian Horner and his team did not expect the Dutchman to drive to P2.

For Red Bull, the weekend was always about damage limitation. Mercedes were the favourites by far and Verstappen also had to deal with an outstanding grid penalty from Italy. He also had to add a grid penalty for a new engine, which meant he had to start from the back of the grid.

The right moment for Verstappen

''We deliberately accepted the penalty in Sotchi. It was a very important result for Max and a great Grand Prix. With his experience and talent, he made the most of the race. You couldn't ask for more. At Spa-Francorchamps, we were already wondering whether we should change the engine. Luckily we didn't because of the rain on Sunday. Max drives better than ever and is now ready for the title,'' Horner told ServusTV.

''We still have seven races and we need a lot of points from both drivers to be able to catch up. Max has the ability to deal with the pressure, we saw that at Zandvoort. For example, it was also extremely impressive in Austria. Max is not distracted by anything, psychological games leave him cold. The team is motivated to the tip of the hair. This duel is great fun for everyone. In the factory you can feel this electrifying tension, it's contagious,'' concludes the Red Bull team boss.