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Christian Horner has said that four-time champion Max Verstappen's first drivers' title in 2021 for Red Bull was "a highlight in the team's history".
The Dutchman battled seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in one of the biggest title battles the sport has ever seen in the final season of the rules, introduced in 2014, as the then Mercedes driver sought a record eighth world title. The tense season came down to the final race of the season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the Dutchman managed to make a decisive move on the last lap against the Briton to win his first of four consecutive titles.
The season itself was marked by incidents between Hamilton and Verstappen, and this spread to both teams, who called each other out for unnecessary tension at almost every race, while the final round was characterized as the most controversial event in the sport due to the way in which then race director Michael Masi was managing.
Horner's statements
Austrian team principal Christian Horner has witnessed Verstappen's steady progress and growing status as a top driver each year, further cementing his name in the Formula 1 history books. The Briton noted that the young Dutch driver was brought in with the clear knowledge that he needed the tools to produce results.
"After he joined us as a teenager, we watched Max grow," Horner told Formula 1 Magazine.
"We saw his development and his outstanding talent. Our task was just to give him the tools to use that talent, for example by putting a competitive engine in his car," added Horner.
After winning the title in 2021, Verstappen also won titles in 2022, 2023 and 2024, with the 2023 season being one of the most dominant seasons in Formula 1 history.
Horner still remembers Verstappen's 2021 title with special pleasure. Since then, Verstappen has brought a total of six titles to Red Bull [meaning two constructors' titles as he himself had more points than the second-placed teams] including four drivers' titles that bear his name. However, the head of the Austrian team points out that the first title from 2021 is still the one that remains the most memorable for him, calling that season one of the "iconic seasons in the history of Formula 1".
"It was like a battle of heavyweights from the first round in Bahrain until the 21st race later in Abu Dhabi. The absolute highlight in the history of our team," said Horner.
After breaking Hamilton's dominance, Verstappen continued to win titles and set records that will be hard to match. The Dutchman took an incredible 19 wins from 22 races in 2023, while he held off McLaren's challenge last year.
"This has ensured that Max has taken his place among the biggest names in the sport and he has cemented that place every year. And I think he more than deserves it," Horner concluded.
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