Christian Horner conceded the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix will be one of Red Bull‘s hardest races left on the calendar, after Max Verstappen’s victory in Monza extended his run of consecutive wins to five.
It’ll be the first time F1’s raced at Singapore since 2019 when Sebastian Vettel claimed victory, but Red Bull will at least have a while to prepare, with a three-week break before the race.
“It should be one of the harder races I would say,” Horner told the press after the 2022 Italian Grand Prix.
“Singapore compared to here it’s got the most corners on the circuit it’s bumpy, it’s a street track so it’s a much different challenge.”
“But we’ve been quick at Spa or Zandvoort or Monza and even Budapest so on different variants of circuits the car’s performing really well.”
Verstappen notched his 11th win of the season at Monza and many are predicting he could break Vettel‘s 2013 record of nine wins on the trot, but his boss was quick to play down the pressure of the record.
“That’s a massive ask, there’s some huge variants of circuits,” Horner said. “We’re in a great position in the championship but we’re going to attack every race, do the best we can and the points will take care of themselves.”
Verstappen’s Monza strategy explained
Despite starting seventh, Verstappen made short work of his deficit to the pole-sitting Leclerc and took the lead just 12 laps in when Leclerc pitted under the VSC.
It looked like the Monegasque driver might’ve stolen a march on his rival but as usual, Red Bull’s strategy paid off and when Leclerc stopped for a second time with 20 laps to go, the Dutchman took a lead he’d never relinquish.
“It was a dilemma at the first VSC,” Horner said. “The tyres were in good shape and we felt that a one-stop was entirely possible for us and that’s what we committed to.
“Then we pitted circa lap 20 and it was then a question of just bringing in the mediums, Charles then converted onto a two-stop but even on the soft tyre, Charles’ pace to Max’s on the medium it wasn’t sufficient to catch so we certainly had the race under control.”
