Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has praised Max Verstappen for the “patience” he showed while battling Lewis Hamilton at the Australian Grand Prix.
Verstappen started the race from pole position but was overtaken by Mercedes’ George Russell into the opening corner.
The Dutchman then suffered a loss of momentum and found himself under pressure from Lewis Hamilton, who successfully moved ahead of the Red Bull driver at Turn 3.
The duo are no strangers to wheel-to-wheel action, as during their 2021 title fight, they battled on several occasions which resulted in a number of collisions and near misses.
They also came together at last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix, with neither willing to yeild.
However, on this occasion from Albert Park, contact was avoided.
“The first start was OK-ish,” Horner said, reflecting on Verstappen’s jump off the line.
“George got a blinder, and he just sent it. So Max got out of that, and by getting out of it to allow him through, that then compromised him through Turn 2.
“And then Fernando [Alonso] and Lewis get a run on him, and Lewis sends a missile down in Turn 3. Again, I thought he showed great patience to get out of the way.
“And it was a hard racing between the two of them there. And then of course the race was just getting going, and it was quite a fight between the three of them at the front there.”
Verstappen was running in third in the early stages but moved ahead of both Mercedes drivers during the race to take his second win in three races.
Russell dropped back when he pitted before a red flag period, which allowed those ahead to swap tyres during the stoppage, while Mercedes was unable to answer Red Bull’s straight-line prowess when Verstappen attacked Hamilton.
“Max had to make the pass on Lewis,” Horner said. “The two Mercedes were fast-starting, they both, very aggressive on the first lap, Max showing great patience really to not get embroiled.
“And then they started having a go at each other. And then they pitted George, and then the red flag came out, and then it was just a straight fight between Max and Lewis.
“He made very short work of that. Then it was a question of controlling the race from that point onwards.”
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