Horner sees generation clash as 'fantastic' for Formula 1

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says the battle for supremacy between "old dog" Lewis Hamilton and young guns such as Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc is "fantastic" for F1.

Hamilton conquered his sixth world title in 2019, but the 35-year-old Mercedes driver was frequently pressured by his young Red Bull and Ferrari rivals who collectively seized five wins.

The Briton has vowed to raise his game this year and fend off the ever-growing threat of the voracious young lions snapping at his heels.

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But with regulations unchanged for 2020, Horner sees a "classic" year ahead and another three-way battle involving F1's front-running outfits, with a fascinating generation clash to boot.

"Every now and again, you get a wave coming along and I think we've got that at the moment," Horner said, quoted by Motorsport.com.

"So I think especially exciting is the Max/Leclerc dynamic, how that's going to play out over future years, how Lewis can still go toe to toe with those guys.

"Because there's life in him yet as well and I think he's keen to gauge himself against the young wave that’s coming through.

"I think for Formula 1 it's fantastic to have the dynamics of the young guys, the challengers, coming through and some of the older guys that are the old dogs that know all the tricks."

Both Verstappen and Leclerc recently committed to long term deals with Red Bull and Ferrari, while Hamilton is expected to extend his stay with Mercedes until at least the end of 2022.

The status quo implies that Hamilton's challenge against F1's "youngsters" will only get tougher, but that's a prospect which the reigning world champion absolutely relishes.

"The core of what I do is that I love racing, I love the challenge," Hamilton said.

"I love arriving knowing I have got these incredibly talented youngsters who are trying to beat me and outperform me, outsmart me, and I love that battle that I get into that every single year.

"And I am working with these guys who are so much smarter than me and they make me feel smarter.

"When I am challenging them and proving them wrong so many times, it is unreal!"

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