Horner: 'It's a privilege to be part of Verstappen's performance'

Whereas Ferrari started the season strong but weakened, and Mercedes started weak and worked their way to the front, Red Bull Racing (apart from reliability problems in the first few races) was consistently strong all year. The fast RB18 in the hands of tyre whisperer Verstappen was the formula for 2022. Verstappen took his second world title in a row and Red Bull took over Mercedes' spot at the top of the standings. Speaking to Channel 4 prior to the Abu Dhabi GP, Horner said that next year will be different.

Horner expects tougher year for Verstappen in 2023

Ferrari will have learned a lot from last season and Mercedes will do everything they can to avoid starting the season so badly again. Horner expects a more intense fight: "It will be intense and I'm sure it will be very close. I don't think we won't be sitting here next year with 14 wins for one driver and 16 wins in total with twenty-odd races behind us."

Red Bull is no stranger to winning championships. With Sebastian Vettel, the team won four in a row from 2010 to 2013. With the 2022 comeback, Horner sees similarities to a decade ago: "This year is definitely up there. The way Max dominated, utterly dominated, in the drivers championship is been a privilege to be a part of and to witness."