Horner: Verstappen’s ‘value’ to Red Bull gives him ‘more influence’

Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner asserts that Max Verstappen is granted “more influence” as his “value to the team is significantly larger” than that of his team-mate.

Since Daniel Ricciardo departed at the end of 2018, Verstappen has dominated whoever has been placed in the opposite Red Bull seat, including Sergio Perez most recently.

Amid Red Bull’s supremacy under the latest cycle of regulations, Verstappen romped to a record 19 victories in 2023 while Perez could only manage two, lagging 290 points adrift.

Horner recognises that both Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have earned an elevated status within their respective teams due to their status as multiple-time F1 champions.

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“Max came to us as a teenager, now he is World Champion. I think the same goes for Lewis Hamilton. He is now the most successful driver of all time,” Horner recently told the Secrets of Success podcast.

“He will have more influence on his team than his team-mate, because his value to the team is significantly larger.”

However, Horner has used the example of football to outline how even a side’s star asset must be kept in order by understanding that they remain part of a collective effort.

“And I think it’s about keeping that under control. Of course, there will be certain privileges that are allowed to your centre forward, your star player,” he continued.

“But he is still part of a team, he still needs, you know, there is no room for a ‘prima donna’ because, at that moment, it becomes something bigger than the team.

Horner has pinpointed how the unique nature of motorsport means that a driver is more reliant on a team to succeed, placing the onus on him to ensure that a balance is met.

“So you can’t get what you want without having a team behind you, without having the tools,” Horner highlighted.

“That’s where it’s about striking that balance, being respectful of the status that they have achieved but also recognising that you are part of a team, you need all the other elements to perform so that you can do your part.”