Max Verstappen ‘refuses to believe’ what Christian Horner has said about Red Bull

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Max Verstappen has admitted he ‘refuses to believe’ what Christian Horner has said about Red Bull after failing to win back-to-back races for the first time in two years.

The team from Milton Keynes have dominated the pinnacle of motorsport over the past two seasons. Only Carlos Sainz could deny Red Bull a Grand Prix win in 2023 as the Ferrari star took glory at the Singapore GP. But the Spaniard, McLaren and Mercedes have won this year.

Mercedes have even topped the last two podiums with George Russell’s fortuitous victory at the Austrian GP and Lewis Hamilton’s record ninth British GP win. Verstappen was in the mix to win both but the Red Bull racer hit Lando Norris in Austria before taking P2 at Silverstone.

Max Verstappen ‘refuses to believe’ Christian Horner that F1’s rules mean Red Bull will be caught

Red Bull team principal Horner had long expected Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren will catch his squad. As F1’s constructors’ champions, Red Bull have enjoyed less aerodynamic testing time than their rivals who have additional wind tunnel runs and do more CFD development.

The aerodynamic testing allowances reset every six months, so Red Bull only get 70% of the baseline 320 wind tunnel runs (224) and 2,000 CFD items (1,400) for the remainder of 2024. Ferrari have 240 and 1,500, while McLaren get 256 and 1,600 plus Mercedes’ 272 and 1,700.

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But Verstappen does not agree with Horner’s view that it is a sure thing that their rivals will catch Red Bull. Instead, the 26-year-old claims that sort of mindset can risk laziness in their factory. Yet the Dutchman does not feel anyone at Red Bull is showing signs of laziness now.

“I refuse to believe that because then you just get lazy,” Verstappen declared, via quotes by Motorsport-Total. “I’m confident that everyone in the factory is always working hard to give the car a little more power.

“But there are also a lot of smart people in other teams who are doing the same thing.

George Russell wants stricter aerodynamic testing allowance rules in F1

While Verstappen refuses to believe Horner that their rivals will naturally catch Red Bull, the proof is in the pudding. Mercedes and McLaren have made great strides to overcome their deficits to Red Bull this season. Now, it is no longer a sure thing the RB20 is the quickest car.

Russell secured pole position for the Canadian GP and the British GP and Norris took pole at the Spanish GP. Floor damage hindered Verstappen’s qualifying at Silverstone after running off in Q1 amid the mixed conditions. But he likely would still have struggled to fight for pole.

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Verstappen can take some comfort, at least, in that Red Bull lose wind tunnel runs and CFD items based on their position in the constructors’ championship. Russell recently urged the FIA to adapt the aerodynamic testing allowance rules so they are set on the points margins.

If the FIA were to answer Russell’s plea, Red Bull would likely lose far more testing time than they currently do and which already concerns Horner. Red Bull are 71 points clear of Ferrari atop the constructors’ standings, with McLaren and Mercedes a further seven and 81 back.