Horner: Tough not running at the front when you are used to it

Red Bull are enduring one the toughest seasons in Formula 1 since acquiring Jaguar’s operation in 2004, which is exacerbated by the fact that from 2010 until 2013 the energy drinks team enjoyed a winning streak which got them into a winning habit which has been hard to kick.

Team principal Christian Horner admitted on the team’s website, “The team has been used to winning over the last few years and it’s tough when you’re not running at the front where that’s where you’re used to being.”

But added, “The great thing here is that everyone is using it as a motivation to get back there. Everyone has got their head down, everybody’s working incredibly hard and we can see progress in many areas.”

As for the season to date, Horner was conceded, “[We are] far from where we expected to be, but what we can see is we’re making progress. I think Bahrain was probably our most competitive race so far, we can see on the engine side that Renault are making some steps forward as well.”

Over the course of the first four races Red Bull and engine supplier Renault engaged in a very public finger pointing exercise which abated when both parties realised that the problem with the RB11 were two fold – chassis and engine.

Since then the two parties have apparently made peace, battened down the hatches and seriously seeking a solution to the situation.

“I think in this two week period to re-group and Renault to have done plenty of running on their dynos and iron out some of the issues they’ve had, has been very timely and hopefully we can use that to great effect in Barcelona,” ventured Horner.

The reality of the situation is that Red Bull, who were the benchmark throughout their four years of dominance, are now battling in the pack behind the pace setters Mercedes and Ferrari.

Hence ambitions within the Red Bull camp are tempered, as Horner explained, “Our target is to keep improving the car. After a difficult start last year we bounced back from pre-season testing to the first race.

“We want to try and make a big step forward in the next few races to put Williams and maybe even Ferrari under a bit of pressure,” concluded Horner whose team have won two of the last five races in Spain, but have not been on the top step of the Barcelona podium for the past three years.