Christian Horner Praises Red Bull's Italian GP Turnaround

Horner Lauds Red Bull's Monza MasteryFormer Red Bull team boss Christian Horner expressed his admiration for the team's dominant Italian Grand Prix victory, messaging Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle during the race. Max Verstappen's commanding performance secured Red Bull's first win since Imola, marking a significant turnaround for the squad at Monza. Why it matters: Monza has historically been a challenging circuit for Red Bull. Horner specifically noted that the "worst race" for the team last year (2024) was at this very venue, making their current triumph a powerful statement of progress and development. The details: Verstappen's victory marks the first for Laurent Mekies as Red Bull Racing CEO, following Horner's departure after the British Grand Prix. Despite an early chicane cut that briefly saw Lando Norris take the lead, Verstappen quickly reclaimed his position and never looked back, finishing in record time. Horner's message to Brundle highlighted the team's hard work on their car package and downforce levels, directly addressing the issues from the previous year. Verstappen's perspective: The four-time World Champion revealed he stuck with a unique RB21 setup choice, despite initial skepticism from some within the team. While acknowledging performance can still be track-dependent, he expressed optimism about the team's improved understanding of the car. "Our car is a little bit more competitive when it’s low to medium downforce," Verstappen stated. "We seem to understand a little bit more what we need to do with the car to be more competitive," he added, hoping this understanding continues into future races.