Red Bull team boss has said the 2022 F1 season is one of the team’s best ever despite missing out on a 1-2 finish in the drivers’ championship at the Abu Dhabi GP.
Max Verstappen cruised to victory in the final race of the season for his 15th win of the year, with the Dutchman dominating across the 22 races and securing his second consecutive drivers’ championship.
Red Bull went close to securing the team’s first-ever 1-2 in the drivers’ championship, but Sergio Perez was unable to get the result he needed to finish runners up to Verstappen by beating Charles Leclerc, as the Ferrari held on the finish second at Yas Marina with Perez in third.
“Amazing year”
But despite missing out on a drivers’ 1-2, Horner told Sky Sports F1 that the season was still better than anything the team has achieved to build on Verstappen’s maiden championship in 2021.
“Well, I mean what a year. It’s unbelievable to be sitting here having won 17 races, two sprint races, five 1-2 finishes, the drivers’ championship, constructors’ championship, and we were so close to getting first and second in the drivers,” he said.
“It’s been an amazing, amazing year for the team. The hard one that goes to the work that goes in behind the scenes all the people you don’t get to see here, that just Herculean effort into this championship. It’s been immense.
“You know, we’ve had some humps and bump along the way, but when you look at the season, what we’ve actually managed to achieve this year is surpassed anything we could have ever believed or imagined or anything we’ve ever achieved ourselves.”
Mateschitz tribute
Horner also paid tribute to Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who passed away ahead of the US GP earlier in the season, saying the combined effort of the two championships in 2021 and this year had taken their toll on the team.
“Last year took every ounce of energy out of every member of the team that was something that I don’t think any of us have ever experienced before and then this year,” he said.
“There’s been there’s been highs and lows and we’ve had issues to deal with. One of the biggest things we’ve had to deal with is the loss of our founder Dietrich Mateschitz. For him Formula 1was his passion. It was his love. “
“He gave so many drivers a chance he gave us all a chance and you know so to have won this championship, you know, we have to dedicate that very much to him and everything that we’ve done this year.”
