Max Verstappen, the winner of the race, celebrated his victory on the podium at the Chinese Grand Prix. Christian Horner, the Team Principal of Red Bull, has compared Verstappen to a “metronome” and believes that his continuous success in Formula 1 deserves more recognition.
Verstappen’s dominance in the sport continued as he secured his fourth win of the season in China, out of the five races held so far. He has been flawless in terms of speed and the only setback he faced was a technical retirement in Australia. With this win, Verstappen now holds a 25-point lead over his teammate Sergio Perez in the championship standings, with Charles Leclerc from Ferrari trailing by an additional nine points.
Horner spoke highly of Verstappen’s performance with the RB20, stating, “He is like a metronome. He has maintained the same pace he showed last year.” He further added, “Since the last Chinese Grand Prix, he has won half of all the races and has been victorious in 21 out of the last 23 races. He is in exceptional form, perfectly in sync with the car and the team, and thoroughly enjoying his racing.”
After Ferrari’s strong showing in Australia and their subsequent 1-2 finish, there were hopes that they could challenge Red Bull in 2024. However, Red Bull’s upgraded RB20 car dominated the race in Suzuka, and Verstappen faced no opposition in Shanghai, finishing with a 13.7-second lead after 24 laps.
Despite claims that Verstappen’s dominance is making the sport less exciting, Horner dismissed such notions and emphasized that success in Formula 1 is not everlasting. He stated, “Success should be appreciated. Max is an extraordinary talent, and this is a golden moment for him.” He also added, “However, as history has shown us, no driver can stay at the top forever. It’s important to cherish the moment and make the most of it.” Horner also acknowledged that there are no guarantees that they will be able to provide Verstappen with a car of the same caliber in the coming years, so it’s crucial to seize the opportunities while they exist.