Red Bull won 17 out of 22 races in Formula 1 in 2022 with world champion Max Verstappen winning 15 and teammate Sergio Perez two; Verstappen closed the campaign with a win in Abu Dhabi and said “the goal is to always be better”
Last Updated: 20/11/22 6:23pm
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Red Bull boss Christian Horner was delighted with his team’s season which saw them win 17 races, 15 of which were taken by Max Verstappen.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner was delighted with his team’s season which saw them win 17 races, 15 of which were taken by Max Verstappen.
Christian Horner says Red Bull’s season “exceeded anything we could have believed or imagined” after Max Verstappen retained his drivers’ title with a record 15 race wins and the team regained the constructors’ championship for the first time since 2013.
Red Bull were denied seasons one and two when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc held off Sergio Perez to finish second to Verstappen in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the driver’s race.
Horner’s outfit won 17 out of 22 races in 2022 – Perez’s wins in Monaco and Singapore added to Verstappen’s record – with the team boss saying the whole campaign is “amazing”.
“What a year,” Horner said.
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Watch highlights of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from the Yas Marina Circuit as Verstappen finished ahead of Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez
“To win 17 races, two sprints, have seven finishes, a drivers’ championship, a constructors’ championship and come so close to first and second in the drivers, it’s been an incredible year for the team.
“The hard work behind the scenes, all the people you don’t see who have put in so much effort. It’s been huge.
‘In 2014, we were nowhere – but we didn’t lose faith’
“We’ve had the odd bump in the road but when you look at what we’ve achieved, it’s far beyond anything we could have believed or imagined or achieved on our own.”
“We faced pain. In 2014 with the change of law, we were nowhere. We did not lose faith. People’s heads fell but you have to focus on the target.
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Watch the moment Verstappen finished a great season with 15 wins
“Everyone has been focused on the challenges of returning to a place of success. We did this last year and this year we have gone further. Returning the title of builders after eight long years is a proof of commitment and faith.”
Red Bull were found to be in breach of contract by £114m in 2021, the season in which Verstappen won his first drivers’ championship.
The club agreed to break the cap by £1.86m and agreed to a fine of more than £6m plus a 10 per cent reduction in playing time over the next 12 months.
Horner added: “Last year took every bit of energy out of every member of the team. I don’t think it’s something any of us have experienced before. This year has been tough and tough to deal with.”
Verstappen: The goal is to always be better
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Verstappen praised the Red Bull team’s efforts but says his ‘goal is to always be better’
Verstappen added Sky Sports F1: “I said last year if I could have another season like this it would be amazing. It was amazing. And all the team effort, it’s great to be a part of it.
“The goal is to always be better, although I know this is difficult to achieve. This should always be the mindset, even if you are not a champion. You are always pushing for more. It is not enough.”
The 2023 Formula 1 season begins in Bahrain on the weekend of March 4, with a calendar of 24 races, starting with 22 in 2022.
The French Grand Prix has been canceled but Qatar and China are set to return, while the Las Vegas Grand Prix will take place as the flagship race of the season, ending in Abu Dhabi on November 26.
