Verstappen Dominates Imola as Horner Praises Breakthrough in Car Performance
Imola, May 18, 2025 — Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner hailed Max Verstappen’s commanding victory at the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix as a “timely win” in the title fight, while suggesting the team has finally unlocked key performance issues that had plagued them in recent races.
Verstappen’s win in Imola marked Red Bull’s 400th Grand Prix, and Horner credited the team’s efforts in getting the car into a “very good window” after a difficult Friday practice. “We definitely got the car into a very good window. Max was very positive about the balance and being able to lean on the rear of the car,” Horner said. “That carried through into the race. It never felt that we were under pressure from behind.”
McLaren, expected to be strong after their pace on Friday, failed to deliver the challenge many had anticipated. “We were more surprised about McLaren’s lack of performance,” Horner admitted, adding, “Today we had the pace to cover whatever they could throw at us.”
Verstappen’s aggressive move on Oscar Piastri into the first corner set the tone. “Oscar was more focused on Russell, left the slightest of gaps, and Max just sent it,” Horner said. “He’s just so good in that situation — so decisive.”
Horner pointed to improvements made since Miami and a deeper understanding of the RB20’s characteristics, not just outright downforce, as the root of their resurgence. “We’ve managed to address, hopefully subtly, some of the characteristics — and that’s encouraging for the upcoming races,” he explained. “Since Brazil last year, that’s the first time I can remember we’ve had the pace to really pull away from McLaren.”
Red Bull’s progress, particularly in tire management, was also central to their success in the hot Imola conditions. “The first stint was really encouraging. Max was managing more than the guys behind and still pulling out a gap,” Horner said. “It’s the first time in a while we’ve been in that position.”
The race also offered redemption for Yuki Tsunoda, who crashed heavily in qualifying but recovered to finish in the points after starting from the pit lane. “It was a big accident, but the most important thing is that he jumped out okay. He raced hard and well today,” Horner said. “Had he qualified where he should have, he would’ve been even further up.”
Asked about McLaren’s strategic decisions — particularly Piastri’s two-stop strategy — Horner remarked, “It put him into a world of pain traffic-wise. Max was then able to keep running. Even with Lando in clean air behind, we were able to manage a nine, nine-and-a-half second gap.”
With Red Bull beginning to build momentum, Horner remains cautiously optimistic. “I’ll tell you in a week,” he said when asked if the breakthrough would translate across circuits. “But I think generally we’re getting a better grip and understanding. We’re building a bit of momentum — and that’s important at this stage in the championship.”
