When Max Verstappen backed his Red Bull RB15 into the barriers in FP2 of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, it looked as though the spell of his fantastic 2019 form might have been broken – a thought given more weight when, after ending up P2 on the grid after qualifying, he then bogged down off the line at the race start and fell to eighth place on the first lap.

What F1 fans were treated to next though was, quite simply, one of the performances of 2019 so far, as Verstappen sliced through the field, passing supposedly superior Mercedes and Ferrari machinery, to claim his second straight Austrian Grand Prix win, sealing the deal with a late pass on Charles Leclerc. And it was enough to leave Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner in no doubt that Red Bull’s 60th Grand Prix win had been one of their greatest…

“What a drive!” said Horner. “To win here in Austria, Red Bull car, to get Honda’s first win as well since 2006, in the style and manner he did was the perfect day for us.

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“That’s right up there with the best wins we’ve had. The fightback, dropping [to eighth on the first lap] and then to come back fighting through the field, managing the tyres, managing the brakes. You heard him on the radio, he’s such a cool operator now, and the relationship he’s got with his engineer, working and turning the car through the race, it’s a joy to be a part of and to see in action. An amazing performance by him.”

Horner was later asked whether he believed that, in Verstappen, Red Bull currently had the best driver in F1 driving for them. Horner didn’t hesitate as he replied: “I have thought that for a little while.”