Horner pleased with Red Bull Racing’s 2012 commitment

Christian Horner had nothing but praise for the Red Bull Racing crew and the two drivers: Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. The team again celebrated the championship, along with the three times Formula One world champion Vettel.

Christian Horner, the Red Bull Racing team principal, reflected back on the 2012 season and knew that the commitment of the entire team is the main reason for their success.

After sweeping the title in 2011, who would have expected that Red Bull would have difficulties this past season, and they did from the opening grand prix event to the season finale. Yet in Australia, Vettel did finish second.

One reason, per the Milton Keynes based team was the fact that the governing body, the FIA, banned the use of the double diffuser and made some other changes in the rules and regulations. During the season, especially in the first races, it was obvious that everyone on the team would not give up in their fight to have the most competitive car.

Horner explained, “The reason this team is so successful is because of the spirit within the team. The way that we work as a team, the way that we work as one unit.”

Besides the technical crew – both at the home base shop and on the road – the drivers were providing the necessary feedback and the gathering of data was a key element to improving the car that was designed by their chief technical officer Adrian Newey.

Nearly everyone in motor sports would agree that a Newey constructed Formula One car is the best one for any team to have. The continuing work during the season is what spurred the entire Red Bull organization on so they could achieve greatness with “a competent car”.

The outcome for the team was watching Vettel earn victories after the summer break so he could take the fight to Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, and Kimi Raikkonen.

Vettel and the team still had challenges to overcome during the entire season but they never gave up. “There’s so many heroic stories this year of people going beyond what they are asked of to deliver, to get performance from the car, to get components to the circuit, to get development into the windtunnel, to hit all of those targets,” Horner said.

Vettel became the comeback kid as he never gave up, even when he had to start from pit lane. He appeared unbeatable even when Alonso was leading the championship points. The two fought hard in Brazil as it became nail biting grand prix.

Vettel performed remarkably well and successfully won his third consecutive world championship title by only three points over Ferrari’s Alonso.

Horner realizes that they won their third successive world drivers’ as well as the constructors’ titles just because of the relentless efforts of all the team members. “This championship, and a triple championship, would never have been imaginable without the commitment of the staff,” he said.

Currently, the Red Bull Racing team is working on the development of the RB9 for next season.

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