Christian Horner confirms "Ferrari has definitely closed the gap" amid Melbourne performance

Christian Horner confirms “Ferrari has definitely closed the gap” amid Melbourne performance. Christian Horner commented on the Australian GP.

Red Bull, a disappointing Melbourne race
After Max Verstappen secured pole position on Saturday at the 5.278-kilometre Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Red Bull thought they could rely on their usual unmatched race pace to secure their tenth consecutive win between 2023 and 2024. However, a brake issue knocked Max Verstappen out of the race, while Sergio Perez could do no better than fifth, almost a minute behind Carlos Sainz’s winning Ferrari in the Australian Grand Prix.

Christian Horner’s analysis
Speaking to Sky, Christian Horner explained: “Max’s brake problem was obviously very disappointing. From the start, he felt like he was stuck, as if with the handbrake on. For the first time in two years, we didn’t finish the race; it’s very frustrating.” – the British motorsport executive and former racing driver said.

The Briton continued, discussing Sergio Perez’s troubles: “With Sergio, we had some damage to the floor, so he lost quite a bit of downforce at the bottom of the car. Then he also struggled with the tires, which is quite unusual for us. We have a lot to learn from this race, but it’s disappointing to come home with a fifth place.”

Ferrari closes in
Christian Horner then concluded by analyzing the one-two finish of their Ferrari rivals: “Congratulations to Carlos, especially after his appendectomy. He drove a very, very strong race and was the dominant Ferrari driver. Congratulations to him and to Ferrari. The rivals have definitely closed the gap,” warned the English manager.