Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing - Q&A

Red Bull Racing are riding a crest of a wave in 2013.

Three time F1 World Champion, Sebastian Vettel leads the drivers' championship and the team have a comfortable cushion in the constructors' table.

Team principal, Christian Horner, found time to speak to Dexter Fielding at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed and here he chats about the team's progress and other issues in the sport.

Q:
Christian, why are Red Bull Racing such a unique team?

Christian Horner:
I think it is our passion and our spirit. We don't have the corporate restraints that other teams have, so that is what makes us unique and stands us out from other teams on the grid.

Q:
How involved with the team's factory is Vettel?

Christian Horner:
Certainly prior to every race weekend, he will come down and have a go on the simulator, talk to the race engineers and wants to know about the development of the car. That is what he does running up to races.

Q:
Red Bull technical director, Adrian Newey - is there anyone else in the history of the sport like him?

Christian Horner:
Oh, Adrian is a complete one off. The only person to compare him to is the great Colin Chapman. What he has achieved in his career is quite phenomenal. He has flourished at Red Bull and enjoys the environment. I am sure he is now the most successful designer in the history of F1.

Q:
Teams have pulled out of the sport and struggled over the last few years. Does a big team, like Red Bull, have any sympathy for the smaller teams at the back of the grid?

Christian Horner:
Yes of course we do. When we first arrived, we had to fight out way up through the grid, but from a professional level, F1 is still a big competition.

Q:
Is F1 still too expensive?

Christian Horner:
The costs in F1 are extremely high, it is down to the regulators to control those costs through having stable regulations, every time you change the rules, there is a huge cost involved. An example of that being next year with the regulation changes for the cars for 2014.

Q:
The future of the British GP has been in doubt with recent rumours of calendar changes, what do you make of F1 without a British race?

Christian Horner:
I can't imagine a British race not being on the calendar. It's a great race with huge support. All the teams want it to be there, as I am sure that [F1 boss] Bernie Ecclestone wants it to be too. There is always going to be competition from other countries and different venues who want to host a race, but the British GP is a must have.

Q:
How easy do you think it will be for Mark Webber to transfer from F1 back to the demands of sportscars?

Christian Horner:
I don't believe that he will find it that difficult, he will just have to put longer hours in! Instead of the races being an hour and forty minutes, he'll be racing for six, eight and 24 hours. He came to F1 from that environment in the first place, so he understands it and he knows what's involved.

by Dexter Fielding