Horner backs Verstappen as an 'outside chance' for 2020 championship

  • Published on 03 Sep 2020 12:33
  • comments 2
  • By: Coilin Higgins

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has marked driver Max Verstappen as one with an 'outside chance' on the 2020 championship.

Verstappen has been the constant challenger to Mercedes so far this year, finishing on the podium in every race this year so far apart from the season opener in Austria in July.

Verstappen is also the only non-Mercedes driver to win a race this year so far, taking the win at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix in August after beating both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas to the line, as the pair struggled with tyre blistering on the Silverstone circuit.

Horner explained how he can see how Verstappen still has a chance at the title this year, claiming Verstappen and the team were the outsiders for the title since the Austrian Grand Prix.

Horner noted how, despite the dominant form shown from Mercedes in the opening seven rounds so far this year, Max's consecutive string of podiums has him ahead of Mercedes driver Bottas in the standings at the moment.

“I think we’ve been the outside bet since the Austrian Grand Prix, the first one,” Horner told MotorsportWeek.com

“And, you know, we continue to be an outsider and have an outside chance in this championship.

“It’s not quite at the halfway point even yet. So it’s a weird old year and things can change but it’s going to have to be quite a change obviously from what we’ve seen so far.

“I mean they’ve [Mercedes] been extremely dominant [in Belgium], but that’s Max’s sixth consecutive podium, he is still second in the Drivers’ Championship.

“It’s a very strong performance on that side we just need to find some more performance to hopefully take the fight to them.”

Replies (2)

Login to reply
  • I really hope it actually comes true. This has potential to be the worse championship since 2002 if Mercedes doesn't suffer with reliability or something. F1 still owes us some proper battles between Lewis and Max

    • + 0
    • Sep 3 2020 - 20:14
    • yep, red bull need to step up to the tier and give him a car that can compete, he's in second due to Bottas; DNF lets not forget.

      • + 0
      • Sep 4 2020 - 22:45

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Red Bull Racing
  • Points 2,638
  • Podiums 100
  • Grand Prix 187
  • Country NL
  • Date of b. Sep 30 1997 (26)
  • Place of b. Hasselt (Belgie), NL
  • Weight 70 kg
  • Length 1.8 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar