Red Bull's Honda triumph: Surpassing McLaren's glory years in Formula 1
Christian Horner
Red Bull boss Christian Horner asserts that the team's collaboration with Honda has outshone the famed McLaren-Honda partnership of the late 1980s.
McLaren's era saw four Constructors' Championships from 1988 to 1991, accompanied by four Drivers' Championships clinched by legends Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.
However, Red Bull's 2022 season etched their own page in history, reminiscent of McLaren's iconic MP4/4 in 1988, which secured victory in 93.8% of races. Red Bull surpassed this in 2023, boasting a staggering 95.5% win rate with 21 triumphs in 22 races.
Horner emphasized the pivotal role played by Honda since Red Bull's entry in 2019, stating, "Max [Verstappen] is the most winning Honda driver ever, and it's been a great partnership. They have been a big part of what we've been able to achieve the last few years and particularly this year."
The decision to shift to Honda power units during the hybrid era, considered a gamble initially, proved to be a masterstroke for Red Bull. This move followed Honda's tumultuous split with McLaren from 2015 to 2016. After the breakdown of Red Bull's alliance with Renault, the team embraced Honda, effectively becoming a works Honda outfit in 2019.
Explaining the strategic shift, Horner remarked, "McLaren had turned down Honda, Sauber had walked away from a deal with Honda, so strategically for us it seemed sensible to place Honda with Toro Rosso, then it gave Red Bull Racing the ability to evaluate versus our current partner."
The turning point came in June 2018, where Red Bull faced a crossroads and opted for Honda. Horner highlighted the commitment and resources Honda dedicated to the partnership, solidifying the belief that the Honda route was the right choice.
As the curtain falls on the 2023 F1 season, teams and drivers take a well-deserved break before gearing up for the 2024 season. The action kicks off with official F1 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir from February 23-25, setting the stage for another thrilling year in Formula 1.
In this ongoing journey, Red Bull's triumph with Honda stands as a testament to their strategic decision-making, elevating them to new heights and surpassing the glory days of McLaren-Honda in the process.
