Horner would have liked to have seen 'forgotten talent': ''That chance never came'

The Red Bull programme

Even before Red Bull started the Formula 1 team in 2005, Helmut Marko was already busy tracking down the greatest talents for Dietrich Mateschitz. At that time, Sebastian Vettel was already on the radar and even more drivers joined the training. Toro Rosso started with drivers such as Scott Speed, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Jaime Alguersuari.

Yet over the years, drivers have also slipped through the cracks. Sebastien Buemi was given a chance at Toro Rosso but was replaced in 2012 by Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo. However, the Swiss driver did not sit still and has won the WEC several times since then, won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and also became Formula E Champion.

The chances in Formula 1

In addition to Formula 1, where seven of the current twenty drivers come from Red Bull's training, Formula E now includes some names from the youth programme. In addition to Buemi, this year's Formula E champion, Antonio Felix da Costa and Jean-Eric Vergne also drove in that programme.

''I don't think there are any real regrets, because the real talents always reach the top. I think it would have been interesting to see what Da Costa could have done in a Formula 1 car, but that chance never came,'' says Horner about the Portuguese who took his first Formula E title this season and clearly won the game from teammate Vergne.

''The great thing about Red Bull is that we give so many talents the chance. Whether it is Vergne, Da Costa or Buemi. It's great to see that they win races and are still supported by Red Bull. All those drivers would never have had that chance without Red Bull,'' concludes Horner versus Racefans.net.