Horner saw Verstappen approaching: 'Extra lap would have made it interesting'.

As Max Verstappen said, Red Bull Racing did not have its day at the Austrian Grand Prix. Christian Horner stresses that his team needs to find out why the RB18 suddenly suffered so much more from tyre degradation but expects to make things difficult for Ferrari again at the French Grand Prix.

"Our degradation, especially in the first stint, was worse than I expected it to be. We need to understand that and if it was due to the temperature or the extra weight," Horner stated in conversation with Viaplay. "It was frustrating, but we did what we could to adapt."

Horner saw Verstappen approaching

The Red Bull team boss saw Verstappen only a second and a half behind Leclerc on the final lap. "With an extra lap it would have been even more interesting," grins Horner. However, he insists that with second place and only five points lost over the weekend, the damage is well contained.

As became clear again today, tyre degradation is often the deciding factor this Formula One season. "The cars are very close and the teams are tight in terms of competitiveness, so it's all about who can get the most out of the tyres," continued the Briton, who has no qualms about acknowledging his superiority to the Italian team. "Today I think Ferrari just did a better job than us on the degradation."

At the next Grand Prix weekend in France, Horner expects both Red Bull and Ferrari to be competitive again, on a circuit where top speeds and track limits will play an even greater role. "I think it will be more exciting than here. In theory, the circuit should suit Ferrari well, but I think we have made good progress with our car and hopefully, we can make it difficult for them," Horner said.