Horner: Red Bull owes 2022 title to 'collective' effort

Christian Horner says a collective effort by every single department at Milton Keynes delivered to Red Bull its fifth Constructors' title this season.

After winning the Drivers' title with Max Verstappen in Japan, Red Bull completed its 2022 clean sweep by sealing the Constructors' championship at the US Grand Prix last weekend, with three races to go.

The coronation was Red Bull's first title since 2013 and its first in Formula 1 hybrid era, a period dominated during eight seasons by Mercedes.

Red Bull's success at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin came against a backdrop of sadness triggered by the news on Saturday of the passing of Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz.

But Horner underscored how Red Bull's achievements this season embodied the spirit and values of its emblematic Austrian leader.

"It's been a hugely emotional weekend," said Horner after last Sunday's race.

"When we learned the news yesterday of Dietrich's passing it was very emotional for the whole team, because he was such a giant of a man, and he's done so much, not just for Red Bull Racing, but for F1.

"We felt determined to go out and really honour him in a way that would make him proud.

Read also:

• Mekies: Red Bull 'protected' from Ferrari by top speed advantage

"So there were no black armbands, there was no minute's silence, there was the embodiment of celebrating him. And the best way to do that, obviously, was the performance on circuit.

"So after eight long years, we've never stopped believing, we've never stopped picking ourselves up, brushing ourselves down, and never lost sight of what our goals and objectives are, which were to get back onto the top of both world championships.

"And we've done that, and that is testimony to the hard work of all of our staff, the contribution of all of our partners, our suppliers.

"And just the spirit that he embodied, that runs throughout all of Red Bull, that has enabled us to achieve what many people would have thought would be impossible."

At the outset of its 2022 campaign, Red Bull faced a fierce opposition from a re-energized Ferrari team, with the Scuderia and Charles Leclerc winning two of the first three races.

While early reliability issues were addressed by Red Bull, its overweight RB18 remained in the clutches of its Italian rival.

But thanks to a collective effort involving all units at Milton Keynes, Red Bull eventually managed to shake off Ferrari's challenge.

"I think that the way the team has worked to get together collectively as a group," said Horner when asked how his team had managed to eventually outpace Ferrari.

"The way that they've supported each other operationally, development-wise, trackside throughout the entire business, and you need every single department doing and playing its role to win a constructors' world championship, and that's exactly what we've had.

"I think that we came very late on to this car, it was heavy at the start of the year, we managed to get a little bit of weight out of it. And with that, we managed to achieve a balance that helps.

"And I think the team has done an incredible job this year, in very difficult circumstances."

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter