Horner on…
…drivers
How is Ricciardo dealing with a more frustrating year than 2014?
“Well let’s not forget before he came to Red Bull Racing he had some frustrating years. He had an incredible year last year and then obviously his expectation has been changed. I think he’s dealt with it very well and in a balanced manner.
“Kvyat as well, all credit to him. He had a tough start but he’s come on in leaps and bounds since Monaco where just that bit of confidence from that race has really carried him on a trajectory that is getting better and better and better.”
Daniel was very vocal in Canada about wanting changes within the team, did you like seeing that from a team leader point of view or was it a bit over the top?
“Daniel said some things in Montreal which were borne out of frustration, particularly frustration when your team-mate is going faster. That’s understandable. Racing drivers that aren’t passionate about what they do and what they want tend not to be the ones that do that well. So some of his comments were wide of the mark, but it came from a place of wanting to be competitive, which is exactly what we want to see out of a driver.”
Have you found it harder to manage drivers over last two years? Vettel did move on to Ferrari after all…
“No, the drivers are very straightforward. The relationships we have with our drivers are very straightforward, the way they are working together as a team is the best we’ve ever had. Feedback is exceptional and I’m very, very happy with the current driver pairing that we have.”
You’ve mentioned Kvyat's progress after a tough start to the season, did you put an arm round him or has he found his own way?
“He missed the first grand prix because of reliability issues, he drove very well in the second race, he had tough races in China and Bahrain. Barcelona was average but really since Monaco - Monaco, Montreal, Austria, Silverstone - he just got stronger and stronger and stronger. That’s been great to see.”
Do you imagine he will push Daniel hard as the season goes on?
“He already is.”
In that sense, how do you think the relationship will go between drivers?
“They’ve been on a close playing field for the last three or four races now. It’s great to see the way they are working with the data, they are pushing each other but there’s no animosity between the two at all. Monaco was the greatest example of teamwork at its best, and the respect between the drivers. Kvyat let Ricciardo to have a go at the podium on the understanding that if he didn’t achieve it he’d give the place back, which he did. For me that’s teamwork at its best.”
