Red Bull does not enter the 2025 F1 season as the favorite: Chris Horner’s team will face two formidable rivals in the reigning champion McLaren and Ferrari (now with Lewis Hamilton), who already surpassed them during the past season. Although predictions suggest a less fearsome Red Bull compared to previous years, Horner believes his team possesses a critical advantage that Ferrari lacks.
The winter transfer market brought many changes to team lineups across the paddock. All the top teams, except McLaren, have changed one of their drivers. Among the most significant moves is Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Maranello. The British driver’s move to Ferrari is a high-profile development that, however, might not necessarily benefit the Italian team.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, a “risky” duo: Christian Horner warns Ferrari
Putting two top competitors on the same team is always a big gamble. According to Christian Horner, this saying is more relevant than ever at Ferrari in 2025, where they will have to manage two drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, both determined to win.
Christian Horner is convinced there is a risk that the coexistence of two drivers of such caliber could create internal divisions: “A team like Ferrari next year will have to deal with two drivers taking points from each other,” he explained.
“At that point, which horse will they back?” asked the Red Bull boss. “Of course, you have to support both, but this can sometimes become divisive within the team.”
The Austrian team’s principal believes a different strategy is better. After parting ways with Sergio Perez, Red Bull has found in Liam Lawson a reliable second driver for Max Verstappen, the team’s undisputed leader: “He is our number one driver. If [Liam Lawson] comes close to him, well, that would be fantastic. But the reality is that Max is expected to win.”
No doubts about hierarchy, no internal conflicts. Horner opts for a “calm” approach, though it hindered the team’s fight for the constructors’ title in 2024. Is a lineup with clear rankings better, or a dual-leader formation?
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