Christian Horner has acknowledged that Red Bull anticipates Ferrari to pose the biggest challenge at the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix, especially after their strong showing in Suzuka. Both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc demonstrated impressive performances, securing third and fourth places respectively at the Japanese Grand Prix earlier this month. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez secured a notable 1-2 finish for Red Bull.
When discussing potential rivals for Red Bull in China, Horner notably excluded Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, citing Mercedes’ underwhelming start to the season, which has seen neither Hamilton nor George Russell secure a podium finish.
“Yeah, I think Ferrari were definitely competitive at that circuit [Melbourne], and we observed on Friday that their race pace was competitive as well – so we anticipate them to be our closest challengers there [in China],” Horner admitted.
He also highlighted the characteristics of the Shanghai circuit, emphasizing its challenging nature, particularly with the prolonged first corner and demanding high-speed corners. Additionally, he noted the upcoming sprint race, the first of the year, adding another layer of complexity.
“There are plenty of points up for grabs, so it will be intriguing to see how things unfold.”
As for Hamilton, he heads to Shanghai aiming for significant improvements following his dissatisfaction with Mercedes’ strategy in Japan. Hamilton described the race as challenging, citing issues with the hard tires and understeer during the first stint. Toto Wolff, meanwhile, attributed Mercedes’ lackluster performance to a poor start in the early laps, expressing confidence in their ability to analyze and rectify the issues.