Christian Horner explains Oracle Red Bull Racing’s flying start to the 2023 season

CEO & Team Principal Christian Horner joins our host Nicola Hume to chat about Oracle Red Bull Racing’s flying start to the 2023 season. Christian reveals who he thinks will be their biggest contenders this year, why he brought Daniel Ricciardo back as third driver and he tells the story of how he became an F1 Team Principal at the age of just 31.

Christian also chooses the first item to go in our new 'Oracle Red Bull Racing in 100 Objects' hall of fame, he answers a load of your fan questions, plus he's quizzed on his knowledge of iconic radio messages over the years.

The Talking Bull podcast, sponsored by HP Poly, delves into the world of Oracle Red Bull Racing, exploring the team's journey from Formula One rookies to World Championship winners. Team Principal Christian Horner joins host Nicola Hume for an insightful conversation.

1. **Impressive Start to the 2023 Season:**
- Red Bull has had a remarkable start to the 2023 season, winning the first three races and securing two one-two finishes.
- Horner expresses his delight at the team's performance, acknowledging that it's the most successful start in their history.
- He remains cautious, emphasizing the need to stay focused and avoid complacency.

2. **Contenders and Potential Threats:**
- Horner identifies Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Mercedes as potential threats, acknowledging their ability to make significant progress during the season.
- He highlights Fernando Alonso's impressive driving for Aston Martin and expects Ferrari and Mercedes to make strides at some point.
- Horner also mentions Alpine as a team showing flashes of pace and form.

3. **Confidence in the Team:**
- Despite the strong start, Horner emphasizes the importance of treating each race individually and focusing on delivering the best performance.
- He believes that the championship tables tend to take care of themselves when the team consistently maximizes its potential.

4. **Areas of Pride and Concern:**
- Horner expresses pride in the team's achievement of a 1-2 finish in the first race and the incredible winter effort put in by the entire team.
- He acknowledges reliability issues in the first two races and mentions a driveshaft problem with Max Verstappen in Saudi Arabia.
- Horner emphasizes the numerous complex factors that can disrupt the team's flow, including weather conditions and incidents on the track.

5. **Reliability as a Challenge:**
- Horner acknowledges that reliability is a constant concern, especially with the complexity of the new cars.
- He believes in making one's own luck and emphasizes the importance of grabbing every opportunity.
- Horner stresses the need for attention to detail and leaving no stone unturned to achieve success.

6. **Balancing Pressure and Relaxation:**
- Horner manages the intense pressure of his role by spending time with his young children.
- He enjoys Lego and outdoor activities to unwind and recharge.
- Horner acknowledges that while there's a perception of a break during the non-race period, the team remains actively engaged in development and preparations for the upcoming season.

7. **The Constructors' World Championship Trophy:**
- Horner presents the Constructors' World Championship trophy, a symbol of Red Bull's success.
- He explains the process of receiving and returning the trophy, with the team keeping a replica.
- Horner expresses uncertainty about whether the trophy he has is the real one or a replica.

8. **Horner's Journey to Red Bull:**
- Horner recounts his racing career, starting from go-karts and progressing through various Formula series.
- He established his own team in Formula 2 and competed against Helmut Marko's team.
- Horner explains how he got involved with Red Bull, initially through a driver placement and later through an opportunity to purchase the Jordan team.
- He highlights the pivotal moment when Adrian Newey joined Red Bull, which significantly boosted the team's credibility and attracted top talent.

9. **Evolution of Red Bull's Image:**
- Horner discusses Red Bull's initial perception as a "party team" due to its unconventional approach.
- He emphasizes that the team's focus on fun and self-expression did not diminish its determination to win.
- Horner credits the team's "can-do" mentality, sense of teamwork, and shared investment in the car's performance as key factors in their success.

10. **Driver Selection Criteria:**
- Horner explains that while speed is essential, he also looks for drivers who are affordable.
- He highlights the team's success in developing young talent, including Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, and Carlos Sainz.
- Horner emphasizes the importance of giving young drivers opportunities and providing them with the right environment to thrive.

11. **Fan Perception of Drivers:**
- Horner acknowledges that fan perception of drivers can evolve over time.
- He cites Sebastian Vettel as an example, whose popularity grew as he matured and became more expressive.
- Horner contrasts Vettel's reserved nature with Max Verstappen's more open and passionate demeanor, which has garnered significant fan support.

12. **Managing Driver Dynamics:**
- Horner emphasizes the importance of treating both drivers equally and ensuring they have the same opportunities.
- He explains that the team scrupulously ensures fairness in terms of upgrades, parts distribution, and even the order in which drivers exit the garage for qualifying sessions.

13. **Daniel Ricciardo's Return:**
- Horner expresses his delight at having Daniel Ricciardo back in the team.
- He acknowledges that Ricciardo had lost some of his passion for the sport in recent years but believes he is rediscovering his love for racing.
- Horner highlights Ricciardo's positive impact on the team's atmosphere and his contributions as a reserve driver.

14. **Overcoming Adversity:**
- Horner reflects on the challenges faced by the team, particularly during the 2014 season when they struggled with a non-competitive engine.
- He emphasizes the importance of focusing on controllable factors and seizing opportunities.
- Horner credits the team's resilience and determination in overcoming adversity and eventually returning to a winning position.

15. **Anticipation for the Las Vegas Grand Prix:**
- Horner expresses excitement about the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix, acknowledging the unprecedented hype and interest surrounding the race.
- He mentions his upcoming 50th birthday coinciding with the race weekend and sees it as a unique opportunity to celebrate the milestone. # Podcast Episode Summary: Christian Horner, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing


## Building Confidence in Drivers

- Nimish from India asks how Horner instills confidence in drivers after a series of poor results or a crash.
- Horner emphasizes the importance of open and honest communication with drivers and team members.
- He believes that confidence is crucial, and drivers need to feel supported and trusted by the team to deliver their best performances.

## Maintaining Composure During Races

- Thanishka from India inquires about how Horner stays calm during races, given the immense pressure and information overload.
- Horner describes the race environment as a busy air traffic control center with constant information flow.
- He explains the importance of staying calm and making informed decisions rather than acting impulsively.
- Horner's calm demeanor during races is noted and appreciated by the host.

## Reflecting on 18 Years at Red Bull

- Sophie Anne from France asks Horner to describe his 18 years at Red Bull in three words.
- Horner chooses "amazing," "rewarding," and "fulfilling" to encapsulate his time with the team.
- He expresses gratitude for working with exceptional team members and achieving numerous successes, including world championships, race wins, pole positions, and fastest laps.

## Backup Plan and Desire to Race

- The host asks Horner about his backup plan if he were not in his current role.
- Horner admits that he never had a backup plan and would likely be unemployed or working outdoors.
- He emphasizes his passion for motorsport and his decision to apply himself in a different area within the sport when he realized he was not a top-tier driver.
- Horner expresses no desire to return to racing, citing the physical demands and brutality of modern Formula One cars.

## Driver Identification Challenge

- The host presents Horner with three audio clips of drivers and challenges him to identify the driver, race, and year.
- Horner correctly identifies Sebastian Vettel in the first clip, but mistakenly guesses the race as the 2013 Indian Grand Prix instead of the 2013 US Grand Prix.
- He correctly identifies Daniil Kvyat in the second clip but incorrectly guesses the race as the 2016 Russian Grand Prix instead of the 2015 US Grand Prix.
- Horner correctly identifies Max Verstappen in the third clip but incorrectly guesses the race as the 2022 Miami Grand Prix instead of the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

## Conclusion

- The host thanks Horner for his time and wishes him luck for the rest of the season.
- The podcast episode concludes with a teaser for the next episode, featuring legendary designer Adrian Newey.

[00:00.000 -> 00:09.000] The Talking Bull podcast is back. Expect funny moments, plenty of action and untold stories throughout the years. Brought to you by HP Poly.
[00:13.000 -> 00:25.080] Hello and welcome to Talking Bull, brought to you by HP Poly. I'm Nicola Hume. Welcome to our new home. We are here at Red Bull HQ in Milton Keynes, we are going to be digging deeper into the Oracle Red Bull
[00:25.080 -> 00:29.160] Racing team. We're going to be chatting to everyone within the team, not just the bosses
[00:29.160 -> 00:33.920] and the drivers, but also people that build the cars, people that design the cars, everyone
[00:33.920 -> 00:39.000] that kind of keeps everything moving smoothly on a day-to-day basis. Now, you can listen
[00:39.000 -> 00:43.920] to this podcast in all the usual places, but also for the first time, you can watch the
[00:43.920 -> 00:45.000] whole episode too.
[00:45.040 -> 00:48.600] Now, I feel like we're starting this first episode
[00:48.640 -> 00:49.800] with a bit of a bang.
[00:49.840 -> 00:53.640] We are really delving into Red Bull's flying start
[00:53.680 -> 00:55.280] to the 2023 season,
[00:55.320 -> 00:57.920] and our first guess is,
[00:57.960 -> 01:01.160] well, he's quite a recognisable face within Formula One
[01:01.200 -> 01:04.400] and a linchpin in the rise of Red Bull
[01:04.440 -> 01:06.400] from Formula One rookies toinchpin in the rise of Red Bull from Formula One
[01:06.400 -> 01:09.680] rookies to, well, World Championship winners.
[01:09.840 -> 01:13.640] Please, let's have a round of applause for Team Principal Christian Horner.
[01:15.440 -> 01:16.160] Thank you.
[01:16.160 -> 01:16.960] How are you?
[01:16.960 -> 01:17.640] Very good.
[01:17.640 -> 01:19.280] Thank you for being here.
[01:19.280 -> 01:20.400] Thank you. What a great entry.
[01:20.400 -> 01:22.600] But seriously, how are you?
[01:22.600 -> 01:26.000] This is quite a brilliant start to the season.
[01:26.000 -> 01:28.000] I mean, we are three races in.
[01:28.000 -> 01:33.000] Red Bull have won every race and you've had two one-twos.
[01:33.000 -> 01:36.000] I mean, in terms of dream starts.
[01:36.000 -> 01:40.000] It's been the most successful start to a season we've ever had in our history.
[01:40.000 -> 01:42.000] So to have won the opening three races, as you say,
[01:42.000 -> 01:49.400] and a couple of one-two finishes, it's beyond our wildest expectations, imagination.
[01:49.400 -> 01:51.240] So it's been a great start
[01:51.240 -> 01:54.160] to what is an absolute marathon of a season.
[01:54.160 -> 01:57.080] So we're not taking anything for granted
[01:57.080 -> 01:57.920] at this point in time.
[01:57.920 -> 01:59.600] Yeah, now I know it is a marathon,
[01:59.600 -> 02:01.040] but also there must be a part of you
[02:01.040 -> 02:04.920] that's feeling incredibly confident right now, surely.
[02:04.920 -> 02:05.000] I think I've been around too long to get complacent on anything. So there must be a part of you that's feeling incredibly confident right now, surely.
[02:05.000 -> 02:08.800] I think I've been around too long to get complacent on anything.
[02:08.800 -> 02:13.000] So there's always that nervousness of what's going to happen at the next race.
[02:15.000 -> 02:19.120] And updates are coming through. These regulations are still relatively immature.
[02:19.120 -> 02:23.240] We know teams are going to have developments coming over the next few races.
[02:23.240 -> 02:28.960] So, you know, things can change quickly in Formula 1 and you're always looking over your shoulder. Now, I know you're saying
[02:28.960 -> 02:32.640] that teams could be bringing in new things all the time. So, are there particular teams that
[02:32.640 -> 02:35.280] you've kind of got your eye on at the moment? Well, it's the usual candidates. I mean,
[02:35.280 -> 02:38.800] the one, the team that's really surprised us, I think everybody so far this year has been Aston
[02:38.800 -> 02:43.840] Martin. They've made a great step forward and Fernando has been driving incredibly well.
[02:44.960 -> 02:45.080] And then Ferrari, Mercedes, they look like, you know, they're going to make a step at some point made a great step forward and Fernando has been driving incredibly well.
[02:50.240 -> 02:56.440] And then Ferrari, Mercedes, they look like they're going to make a step at some point during the season. And then even teams like Alpine are showing real flashes of pace and form.
[02:56.440 -> 03:01.440] So you can't write anybody off and that's, you know, it'd be very dangerous to do so.
[03:01.720 -> 03:05.480] I mean, there are some teams that have struggled with the regulation changes. There are some teams that have had a bit of an iffy dangerous to do so. I mean, there are there are some teams that have struggled with the the regulation changes.
[03:05.480 -> 03:08.160] There are some teams that have had a bit of an iffy start to the season.
[03:08.560 -> 03:13.720] So what do you think in terms of confidence where you see yourself in 20 races time?
[03:14.040 -> 03:15.720] Oh, 20 races, that's a long way.
[03:15.720 -> 03:17.880] It literally is 20 more races.
[03:17.880 -> 03:21.720] Look, we've just got to treat each race individually
[03:21.720 -> 03:24.920] and give our best at every Grand Prix that we go to.
[03:24.920 -> 03:25.000] And then the championship tables, I've always said, tend to take care of themselves. individually and give our best at every Grand Prix that we go to.
[03:25.000 -> 03:28.000] And then the championship tables, I've always said, tend to take care of themselves.
[03:28.000 -> 03:32.000] And so long as we turn up at each race, get the best out of ourselves,
[03:32.000 -> 03:35.000] the drivers, the team, the reliability, the strategy,
[03:35.000 -> 03:40.000] then the championship tables, as I say, they tend to deal with themselves.
[03:40.000 -> 03:43.000] Is there anything that's happened so far in the first three races
[03:43.000 -> 03:46.040] that you are particularly proud of?
[03:46.040 -> 03:51.180] I think, you know, going out and getting a 1-2 finish in that first race is always mightily
[03:51.180 -> 03:56.460] difficult, particularly in the first Grand Prix of a year. And I think it's been an incredible
[03:56.460 -> 04:00.640] winter for, you know, the whole team. They've all worked incredibly hard off the back of
[04:00.640 -> 04:06.960] last year's championship, you know, with the handicap of the less aero time that we have,
[04:06.960 -> 04:14.400] and so on. So it's been a massive effort by everybody involved. And there's a real
[04:14.400 -> 04:19.840] buzz around the factory. You can feel the energy, the positivity that there is just around the
[04:19.840 -> 04:25.520] place. And results like we've had only fuel. Well, it seems like, I mean, yeah,
[04:25.520 -> 04:28.760] the energy here at MK7 is quite phenomenal.
[04:28.760 -> 04:30.800] You're walking around and you can see it is a team that's
[04:30.800 -> 04:33.360] very, very proud of what they're achieving so far.
[04:33.360 -> 04:34.320] Do you feel the same?
[04:34.320 -> 04:36.840] Absolutely. I mean, look, it's been a dream start for us.
[04:36.840 -> 04:39.560] I think winning a Grand Prix is no mean feat.
[04:39.560 -> 04:42.600] To win three of them in a row and have two on two finishes,
[04:42.600 -> 04:50.360] that's a massive achievement for every single member of this team that work crazy hours and the commitment, the dedication that goes
[04:50.360 -> 04:54.640] in behind the scenes. Because at the end of the day, Formula One is the biggest sporting
[04:54.640 -> 05:00.720] competition in the world. It's the biggest team sport in the world. And it requires everybody
[05:00.720 -> 05:08.640] to be doing their bit. And that's why all the trophies in the reception area, many people walk past those every day on their way into work.
[05:08.640 -> 05:11.400] It just reminds them of what we're all here for.
[05:11.400 -> 05:13.320] Is there anything, I know it has been a dream start,
[05:13.320 -> 05:16.560] but is there anything that has concerned you so far
[05:16.560 -> 05:17.400] in the first two races?
[05:17.400 -> 05:18.480] Yeah, loads. There's always something.
[05:18.480 -> 05:19.880] Are you allowed to talk about it?
[05:19.880 -> 05:25.720] Reliability is always something that is never too far away,
[05:25.720 -> 05:27.240] particularly with these cars.
[05:27.240 -> 05:30.080] We had some issues in the first race that we had to manage.
[05:30.080 -> 05:34.880] We had a driveshaft issue with Max in Saudi.
[05:34.880 -> 05:38.880] Obviously, Checo had a couple of issues in the build-up to qualifying.
[05:38.880 -> 05:45.120] In Australia, there's always little things that can disrupt your flow.
[05:45.120 -> 05:48.560] There's so many things with these cars that are so complex that can go wrong,
[05:48.560 -> 05:53.680] or the weather, or somebody crashing, and a red flag, and a start, or a restart.
[05:53.680 -> 05:57.600] So there's so many variables that you just can't control.
[05:57.600 -> 06:01.840] I mean, do you see those sort of things as kind of bad luck, or just inevitable?
[06:01.840 -> 06:04.080] It's a very long season, these things are going to happen.
[06:04.080 -> 06:05.600] Well, I'm a great believer you make your own luck.
[06:05.600 -> 06:09.360] And I think that things happen,
[06:09.360 -> 06:12.000] they tend to even themselves out over the course of a season.
[06:12.000 -> 06:15.480] But you've got to take your chances
[06:15.480 -> 06:18.160] and you've got to grab every opportunity with both hands.
[06:18.160 -> 06:20.760] And you've only got yourself to blame if you don't.
[06:20.760 -> 06:23.400] So it's about leaving no stone unturned.
[06:23.400 -> 06:25.440] It's about all the attention to detail.
[06:27.200 -> 06:34.640] And the higher you rise, the more people are shooting at you, and the more scrutiny you come
[06:34.640 -> 06:42.000] under, the more pressure that ultimately you put on yourself. So that's the process that we're
[06:42.000 -> 06:47.440] going through at the moment. I mean, in terms of pressure, what do you do to relax?
[06:47.440 -> 06:48.840] What do I do to relax?
[06:48.840 -> 06:51.320] Yeah, it's a very pressured job that you're in.
[06:51.320 -> 06:55.080] There must be something that you do once you get home, kick your feet up.
[06:55.080 -> 06:59.720] Well, I've got some young children.
[06:59.720 -> 07:02.640] I've got a six-year-old boy, a nine-year-old daughter,
[07:02.640 -> 07:06.120] and they keep me pretty busy.
[07:06.120 -> 07:07.040] That's not relaxed then.
[07:07.040 -> 07:08.840] It's not relaxed.
[07:08.840 -> 07:12.240] My boy is Lego obsessed.
[07:12.240 -> 07:15.560] So basically, I've become like a parts supplier to him.
[07:15.560 -> 07:16.080] That's quite nice.
[07:16.080 -> 07:22.000] Put together. My daughter is into ponies and horses and stuff.
[07:22.000 -> 07:27.120] Look, I'm a country boy and I enjoy being out in the countryside.
[07:28.160 -> 07:33.920] For me, that's time to sort of relax, switch off, get away from Formula One, recharge your batteries
[07:33.920 -> 07:38.400] and come back in for more. Well, I mean, as we're recording this, we're kind of on a little break
[07:38.400 -> 07:44.160] because there's been no race in China this year. So it's... You guys, you guys, you guys will think
[07:44.160 -> 07:45.280] no racing, it's a break.
[07:45.280 -> 07:49.280] Everybody's on holiday, we're all taking it easy. You know, everybody relax, you know,
[07:49.280 -> 07:54.000] there's a month between the races, but it is white hot in terms of activity here,
[07:54.000 -> 07:59.360] because you got the first upgrades starting to come through. You've got, you know, an awful
[07:59.360 -> 08:03.920] lot of research and development going on behind the scenes. And of course, we're building a new
[08:03.920 -> 08:05.200] engine for 2026 as well. And we're desperately trying to of course, we're building a new engine for 2026
[08:05.200 -> 08:10.880] as well. And we're desperately trying to catch up. We're building it here. It's a startup new
[08:10.880 -> 08:18.480] business that we've welcomed, you know, 400 new members to the team. And, you know, we've started
[08:18.480 -> 08:25.360] from scratch and we had a V6, our first V6 engine running about nine months ago,
[08:25.360 -> 08:28.120] and we're building on that.
[08:28.120 -> 08:30.560] So there's never a dull moment.
[08:30.560 -> 08:33.360] So okay, as an outsider looking in,
[08:33.360 -> 08:34.700] we see it as a break.
[08:34.700 -> 08:35.940] It's not a break.
[08:35.940 -> 08:36.320] It's not a break.
[08:36.320 -> 08:38.160] You're not resting at all.
[08:38.160 -> 08:42.520] Now, one thing that we're doing on this new version of Talking Ball is,
[08:42.520 -> 08:44.680] we're doing 100 objects,
[08:44.680 -> 08:47.040] Red Bull Racing's 100 objects. So
[08:47.040 -> 08:51.520] every guest that comes in will bring in an object that means something to them, that is something to
[08:51.520 -> 08:56.160] do with their experience here at Red Bull. And I'm just going to take a wild guess at the object
[08:56.160 -> 09:01.280] that you brought in with you to add into our Hall of Fame. I'm going to guess it's this baby.
[09:02.080 -> 09:06.080] Well, I mean, as you could say, here's what we prepared earlier.
[09:06.080 -> 09:09.120] But yeah, look, I mean, this is the big one for us.
[09:09.120 -> 09:12.120] I mean, this is the Constructors World Championship trophy.
[09:12.120 -> 09:16.160] And you can see some iconic brands on there over the years.
[09:16.160 -> 09:22.040] You know, Cooper, and Vanwall, and Lotus, and Ferrari, McLaren,
[09:22.040 -> 09:25.720] Mercedes, so many great, great teams.
[09:25.720 -> 09:30.520] And we had a run of four of them.
[09:30.520 -> 09:35.720] I think they were around here from 2010.
[09:35.720 -> 09:41.160] And then there was an awful lot of Mercedes badges after that.
[09:41.160 -> 09:43.600] And then finally, we managed to get ourselves back
[09:43.600 -> 09:45.520] on the trophy with that
[09:45.520 -> 09:50.640] Constructors' Championship last year in 2022. So, yeah, very, very proud of this trophy.
[09:50.640 -> 09:57.360] Out of curiosity, who takes this back? Like, who carries it around? Like,
[09:57.360 -> 10:00.240] when it came to travelling on the plane, was it you hugging it tight?
[10:00.880 -> 10:05.000] This is presented at an FIA prize giving at the end of the year,
[10:05.000 -> 10:10.000] and the team or the driver is not officially champion
[10:10.000 -> 10:12.000] until the trophy has been handed over.
[10:12.000 -> 10:15.000] So it's always a big moment at the end of the year.
[10:15.000 -> 10:20.000] And the trophy was handed over and I brought it back to Milton Keynes.
[10:20.000 -> 10:22.000] You brought it back to Milton Keynes.
[10:22.000 -> 10:27.240] You get it for 12 months and then it has to be returned to the FIA for
[10:27.240 -> 10:34.360] them to inscribe on whoever is going to be the next winner and you get to keep a replica.
[10:34.360 -> 10:36.160] Is the replica the same size?
[10:36.160 -> 10:37.160] Is it the replica?
[10:37.160 -> 10:38.800] Is that the real one?
[10:38.800 -> 10:39.800] That's the big question.
[10:39.800 -> 10:40.800] Oh, darn.
[10:40.800 -> 10:42.280] Who has the real one?
[10:42.280 -> 10:46.480] I'm pretty sure that's the real one because we had to have someone bring it in with gloves on.
[10:46.480 -> 10:50.000] But what do the FIA have at the end of the year? Do they have the replica or do they have the real one?
[10:50.000 -> 10:51.320] How do you know it's the real one?
[10:51.320 -> 10:52.320] That's a really good point.
[10:52.320 -> 10:52.960] Exactly.
[10:52.960 -> 10:55.960] So the one that you have, is that a replica or a real one?
[10:55.960 -> 10:57.520] It's probably a Mercedes replica.
[11:00.000 -> 11:02.960] So, okay, this is officially item number one.
[11:02.960 -> 11:04.120] This is officially item number one.
[11:04.120 -> 11:06.880] Item number one of our 100 objects.
[11:06.880 -> 11:07.520] Reigning high.
[11:07.520 -> 11:09.760] We're going for 100 because why not?
[11:10.480 -> 11:12.800] Talking Ball is brought to you by HP Poly.
[11:12.800 -> 11:16.320] Poly provide best-in-class communications hardware solutions
[11:16.320 -> 11:18.160] for the Oracle Red Bull Racing team,
[11:18.160 -> 11:21.360] both at the track and back at the factory.
[11:21.360 -> 11:25.520] Their premium audio and video products allow the team to focus on what they do
[11:25.520 -> 11:31.120] best, winning world championships. To find out more about what Poly can offer your business,
[11:31.120 -> 11:37.520] visit their website at poly.com. Ensure you have your best meeting anywhere, anytime, every time.
[11:38.080 -> 11:46.500] Now, back to the podcast. So you joined Red Bull back in 2005. Yep. And 18 years it's been.
[11:46.500 -> 11:49.000] How on earth did that come about?
[11:49.000 -> 11:52.000] Racing has kind of been your whole life, from karting, etc.
[11:52.000 -> 11:55.500] So how did you end up sitting in this seat right now?
[11:55.500 -> 11:57.000] Well, racing, as you say, has been my entire life.
[11:57.000 -> 12:01.500] I started racing in go-karts and then I progressed into car racing,
[12:01.500 -> 12:08.160] into Formula Renault, Formula 3, Formula 2. And I started my own team in what is now Formula 2
[12:08.240 -> 12:12.240] and was racing against Helmut Marko's team, actually, at the time.
[12:12.320 -> 12:16.480] And I went on to win that championship for three years in a row,
[12:16.560 -> 12:18.880] 2002, 2003, 2004.
[12:18.960 -> 12:22.160] And I was looking to take that team into Formula 1.
[12:22.240 -> 12:23.840] And Bernie Eccleston was pushing me, saying,
[12:23.920 -> 12:26.920] we need new young blood in Formula One.
[12:26.920 -> 12:30.640] I want to get rid of this guy, Eddie Jordan, he's driving me mad.
[12:30.640 -> 12:33.000] Why don't you buy his team?
[12:33.000 -> 12:34.520] I'll help you, blah, blah, blah.
[12:34.520 -> 12:40.920] And so I looked at trying to put a deal together to buy what was the Jordan team.
[12:40.920 -> 12:47.040] And at the same time, I was running a Red Bull Junior driver, Vittorio Liuzzi,
[12:47.040 -> 12:54.480] that Helmut Marko had placed with me as a, who was looking after the Red Bull Junior program.
[12:55.040 -> 13:01.360] And the Jordan team, the deal just got more and more complicated. And in the meantime, Red Bull
[13:02.000 -> 13:06.440] looked to buy what was the Jaguar Formula One team and they acquired
[13:06.440 -> 13:15.160] it in November 2004. And later that month, Helmut rang me up and said, Dietrich would
[13:15.160 -> 13:23.800] like to see you. And so I went to Salzburg, I think it was early December. And he said,
[13:23.800 -> 13:26.240] look, I want to change the management. I've got big ambitions
[13:26.240 -> 13:30.560] with this team. And it was so compelling what he was saying. He said, I want it to be different.
[13:30.560 -> 13:34.880] I want it to have a different energy. We're not going to be corporate and we're going to do things
[13:34.880 -> 13:42.720] differently. We're going to do things the Red Bull way. And I'm willing to take a chance on you.
[13:43.000 -> 13:53.000] I'm willing to take a chance on you. And at 31 years of age, I didn't have to think too long about it.
[13:53.000 -> 13:59.000] And he said, look, because I'm giving you the chance and you're young,
[13:59.000 -> 14:03.000] I'm going to pay you this much.
[14:03.000 -> 14:10.440] But for every point you score, I'll pay a healthy points bonus.
[14:10.440 -> 14:12.680] And Jaguar scored nine points last year.
[14:12.680 -> 14:18.600] So if you score 10 or 11 points, that would be a success
[14:18.600 -> 14:20.200] in the first year.
[14:20.200 -> 14:22.760] And in that first year, I think in the first race,
[14:22.760 -> 14:25.120] we scored nine points.
[14:28.240 -> 14:29.280] And there was a different point system in those days as well.
[14:31.920 -> 14:35.440] And then we went on to score 34 points that year. And it was, thank God we did, otherwise I wouldn't be able to pay my mortgage.
[14:37.120 -> 14:40.720] And he gave me the chance, just as he gave young drivers a chance,
[14:40.720 -> 14:44.960] he gave me a chance as a young team principal.
[14:44.960 -> 14:45.000] And he supported me a chance as a young team principal,
[14:45.000 -> 14:48.680] and he supported me, the team.
[14:48.680 -> 14:53.280] And, you know, there was some difficult times in the early days
[14:53.280 -> 14:56.160] as we were going through a building phase and changing the culture
[14:56.160 -> 14:59.000] and trying to get the right staff on board.
[14:59.000 -> 15:03.880] And, you know, Adrian was a key one of those at the end of the first year.
[15:04.480 -> 15:08.080] I remember saying to Dietrich
[15:08.080 -> 15:11.720] and Helmut, I think we've got a real chance of getting Adrian Newey. I've been talking
[15:11.720 -> 15:13.200] to him throughout the season.
[15:13.200 -> 15:17.000] That was a big punt. He was at McLaren at the time.
[15:17.000 -> 15:23.240] It was. And, you know, it was a matter of persuading him and his then wife. And David
[15:23.240 -> 15:25.360] Coulthard played a role in it because he obviously
[15:25.360 -> 15:30.160] knew Adrian having driven at McLaren and at Williams when he'd been there. But something
[15:30.160 -> 15:38.400] just clicked and he and I got on really well and we just had a similar outlook on things.
[15:41.200 -> 15:45.800] It was phenomenal to get him on board and then suddenly people started to take us seriously.
[15:45.800 -> 15:48.280] So your relationship between you and Adrian,
[15:48.280 -> 15:51.680] would you class yourself as kind of mates, workmates,
[15:51.680 -> 15:53.440] have a little WhatsApp group kind of thing,
[15:53.440 -> 15:55.880] meet up for some beers when you've had a good season?
[15:55.880 -> 15:58.720] I wouldn't, yeah, we're not of a WhatsApp generation.
[15:58.720 -> 16:00.600] Oh no, he's paper and pen.
[16:00.600 -> 16:02.520] He's pretty handy on your WhatsApp,
[16:02.520 -> 16:04.240] he's an emoji specialist.
[16:05.840 -> 16:13.680] But look, obviously we're work colleagues, but we're friends.
[16:13.680 -> 16:15.840] And the friendship is incredibly important.
[16:15.840 -> 16:21.120] He's godfather to one of my children.
[16:21.120 -> 16:29.020] And that's very important to me. And I think that we've been together a long
[16:29.020 -> 16:37.700] time now and we've always enjoyed working together and I've always had a very strong
[16:37.700 -> 16:38.700] friendship.
[16:38.700 -> 16:46.560] So in terms of turning Red Bull from the party team, as it kind of started off, to the team it is now.
[16:46.560 -> 16:48.320] What have you managed to do?
[16:48.320 -> 16:51.040] What do you see as your main overlook of things over
[16:51.040 -> 16:54.440] the last 18 years for you to be able to achieve that?
[16:54.440 -> 16:56.000] Because they weren't being taken so
[16:56.000 -> 16:58.600] seriously right at the start, were you? Until now.
[16:58.600 -> 16:59.720] Well, when we turned up,
[16:59.720 -> 17:01.440] I mean, we played our music loud.
[17:01.440 -> 17:04.360] We turned up with a hospitality center
[17:04.360 -> 17:05.640] that we called the Energy Station.
[17:05.640 -> 17:07.700] It looked nothing like anybody else's.
[17:07.700 -> 17:09.800] It was free for anybody to get in.
[17:09.800 -> 17:13.600] You didn't need 200 passes to even get through the front door.
[17:14.160 -> 17:17.720] Things were different. Things were just very different about Red Bull.
[17:17.720 -> 17:20.480] People perceive that these guys aren't serious.
[17:20.480 -> 17:23.400] They're not here to win. They're here to have a good time.
[17:23.400 -> 17:29.760] They've got no aspirations. But it was very, very different to that because actually we were just as determined
[17:29.760 -> 17:35.200] as any other team. It was just that we weren't afraid to have a bit of fun along the way and
[17:35.200 -> 17:39.920] express ourselves differently. And that hasn't changed. We still are the team that play our
[17:39.920 -> 17:45.320] music the loudest. We're absolutely a pain in the arse to who is ever next to us, because for
[17:45.320 -> 17:50.520] sure, and some of the mechanics' choice in music is a little bit dubious, you know, these
[17:50.520 -> 17:51.520] days. But we just...
[17:51.520 -> 17:52.520] No Spice Girls!
[17:52.520 -> 18:00.160] We're very, very different. You know, as a team, we've got a very much a can-do mentality
[18:00.160 -> 18:05.680] that no challenge is too great, which is we'd never be making our own engine if that were
[18:05.680 -> 18:09.320] the case. We'd never achieve anything that we've done in Formula 1. And we've got a real
[18:09.320 -> 18:14.640] sense of team, that everybody is working for each other, that there's no I in team, that
[18:14.640 -> 18:19.760] it's about a collective effort. And the one thing that everybody has in common is the
[18:19.760 -> 18:26.000] car and how that performs on a Sunday afternoon at 23 weekends of the year. That's what we're all invested in.
[18:26.000 -> 18:28.000] Now let's talk about the drivers.
[18:28.000 -> 18:33.000] So there is, I would say, a particular skill that you have
[18:33.000 -> 18:37.000] in terms of choosing your drivers and choosing correct pairings.
[18:37.000 -> 18:42.000] When it comes to finding a driver, apart from being fast,
[18:42.000 -> 18:44.000] what else are you kind of looking for?
[18:44.000 -> 18:50.960] Ideally cheap. But the two things don't come together very often unless you get a really good
[18:50.960 -> 18:57.920] junior driver, which we've been incredibly successful at developing young talent, whether
[18:57.920 -> 19:02.160] that was Sebastian Werstl, whether it's Max Verstappen, whether it's Daniel Ricciardo,
[19:02.160 -> 19:06.600] Carlos Sainz. There's so many examples of young talent
[19:06.600 -> 19:09.160] that Red Bull has given an opportunity to.
[19:09.160 -> 19:12.200] But of course, when you get to Formula One,
[19:12.200 -> 19:15.600] the pressures are different, the scrutiny is different.
[19:15.600 -> 19:18.320] And we've had some great drivers
[19:18.320 -> 19:20.280] that we've worked with over the years.
[19:20.280 -> 19:23.200] I'm very proud that many of them have come through
[19:23.200 -> 19:24.960] our Young Driver Programme.
[19:24.960 -> 19:28.400] Well, it seems like sometimes if a driver is doing particularly well,
[19:28.480 -> 19:32.600] when it comes to the fans, the fans will kind of go against them a little bit.
[19:32.680 -> 19:35.200] So let's talk about Seb Vettel.
[19:35.280 -> 19:39.360] So back when he was dominating, at the time, the fans were a bit,
[19:39.440 -> 19:44.320] well, he's a bit taken over, and then when he retired last year,
[19:44.400 -> 19:45.840] he retired as a legend.
[19:46.480 -> 19:50.160] I think everything evolves in time. Sebastian used to win, he'd get out the car and he'd shove
[19:50.160 -> 19:57.440] his finger in your face with this really annoying habit he had of showing this one finger. And
[19:58.480 -> 20:07.480] I think whenever you have serial winners in any sport. I think it's easy to lose that popularity.
[20:08.880 -> 20:10.640] And Sebastian was a very private person.
[20:10.640 -> 20:13.320] He didn't give anything of himself personally
[20:13.320 -> 20:15.880] in terms of emotionally,
[20:15.880 -> 20:18.160] or he never let people see really who he was.
[20:18.160 -> 20:19.100] And I think as he got older,
[20:19.100 -> 20:21.640] he got more comfortable with expressing himself
[20:21.640 -> 20:26.000] and people seeing his character and his values.
[20:26.080 -> 20:29.200] And they became to love that,
[20:29.280 -> 20:34.400] and he became hugely popular by the end of his career.
[20:34.480 -> 20:37.160] And I think Max is a very, very different character.
[20:37.240 -> 20:39.320] He wears his heart on his sleeve.
[20:39.400 -> 20:43.680] You just know, I mean, he's got a lion painted on the top of his helmet for a reason.
[20:43.760 -> 20:45.960] He drives like a lion painted on the top of his helmet for a reason. He, you know, he drives like a lion.
[20:45.960 -> 20:50.440] He's got a lion's heart and he's immensely talented.
[20:50.440 -> 20:54.160] And you just know he's going to give 110%.
[20:54.160 -> 20:59.760] And it's great to see wherever we go around the world, just how much support, you know,
[20:59.760 -> 21:01.560] he has, how much Checo has.
[21:01.560 -> 21:08.960] But of course, in different countries, there's different allegiances to different drivers. How does it feel as a team principal to have
[21:09.920 -> 21:15.200] both of your drivers right at the top of the leaderboard right now? Like, is there a little
[21:15.200 -> 21:19.200] bit of pressure on you to kind of go, oh, you do what you've got to do. Oh, no, wait, you do. Oh,
[21:19.200 -> 21:24.400] no, you kind of have to battle it out at the same time. Like, no, it's great. Having both at the
[21:24.400 -> 21:25.920] sharp end is exactly what you
[21:25.920 -> 21:30.640] want as a team or as a team principal. And I think that you just become very conscious then about
[21:30.640 -> 21:34.480] just making sure that both have the same opportunity because you want it to be about
[21:34.480 -> 21:41.920] what they do on the track, which is, you know, there's no number one decided driver within any
[21:41.920 -> 21:46.000] contract that we've ever had. It's always been about what they do on the track.
[21:46.000 -> 21:54.000] And that's the way we want it to be. And so we are scrupulously fair in terms of the way that we
[21:54.000 -> 22:00.000] treat the drivers in terms of the upgrades, how they're distributed, the parts, the weight of the
[22:00.000 -> 22:05.200] parts, you name it. Even to who drives out of the garage first
[22:06.080 -> 22:07.400] for a qualifying session,
[22:07.400 -> 22:09.920] alternates from weekend to weekend.
[22:09.920 -> 22:11.720] We have to talk about Daniel Ricciardo.
[22:11.720 -> 22:12.800] Yeah.
[22:12.800 -> 22:14.880] How is he settling in?
[22:14.880 -> 22:17.120] Well, it's great to have him back.
[22:17.120 -> 22:18.600] We didn't want him to go in the first place.
[22:18.600 -> 22:23.600] So anyway, he went off on his life experience
[22:23.880 -> 22:25.000] through a couple of different teams.
[22:25.000 -> 22:31.800] And certainly the last couple of years, we haven't seen the real Daniel.
[22:31.800 -> 22:35.920] I mean, when Daniel drove for us, he was right up there with the very best
[22:35.920 -> 22:36.920] and one of the best racers.
[22:36.920 -> 22:40.200] Some of his overtaking moves were legendary.
[22:40.200 -> 22:40.720] Yes.
[22:40.720 -> 22:45.000] And we didn't really see that over the last couple of years.
[22:45.000 -> 22:50.000] And Daniel would have been out of Formula One if we hadn't given him a lifeline.
[22:50.000 -> 22:55.000] And it just felt that it was too soon for him to be calling a day on the sport.
[22:55.000 -> 23:01.000] And for such a big personality, I mean, he's the kind of guy that lights up a room when he walks into it.
[23:01.000 -> 23:08.560] So it was great to get him back in a different role this year. And for him,
[23:08.560 -> 23:13.440] I think to also start to try and fall in love with the sport again, because I feel that he'd lost
[23:14.160 -> 23:19.280] that passion through the experiences that he had. And he's a really sensitive guy and
[23:20.320 -> 23:28.220] behind that big smile, he's very vulnerable. I think that the experiences that he had the last couple of years,
[23:28.220 -> 23:32.980] you could see it took its toll on him and his enthusiasm for the sport.
[23:32.980 -> 23:34.820] Certainly when he first came back,
[23:34.820 -> 23:39.020] it wasn't a Daniel that we recognized.
[23:39.020 -> 23:40.820] He was driving differently.
[23:40.820 -> 23:43.180] He was driving differently.
[23:43.180 -> 23:46.000] He looked differently, lost a huge amount of weight.
[23:47.000 -> 23:49.000] And he was almost unrecognisable.
[23:49.000 -> 23:52.000] He'd lost that self-confidence, that self-assurance.
[23:52.000 -> 23:57.000] And bit by bit, that's coming back.
[23:57.000 -> 24:01.000] And we're getting to see the true Daniel again, the true spirit.
[24:01.000 -> 24:05.360] And his performance is getting ever more impressive.
[24:05.360 -> 24:09.680] Do you have a plan for him? Is he going to get any FP1s in or anything like that for this season?
[24:09.680 -> 24:14.160] He won't be doing any FP1s, but he'll be doing some tyre testing for us and any opportunity like
[24:14.160 -> 24:22.560] that. And to have a driver on the bench of Daniel's quality and calibre is phenomenal for us. Should,
[24:28.320 -> 24:32.080] phenomenal for us. You know, should God forbid any, we ever need to call on his services, it's just great to have a driver of his quality available to the team.
[24:32.080 -> 24:35.840] Do you know what else I find is really nice? What I've noticed, especially on social media
[24:35.840 -> 24:41.560] and stuff, is having Daniel around, I think also brings out the best in Checo and Max.
[24:41.560 -> 24:45.800] It's like their personalities have now also come out even more, that Daniel's
[24:45.800 -> 24:47.480] around kind of bringing it out more.
[24:47.480 -> 24:53.800] Well, he's a big energy guy. I think Max learned a lot from him when he was here in the early
[24:53.800 -> 25:00.520] years. And I think, look, Daniel, he's performing a different role this year. He's doing a lot
[25:00.520 -> 25:09.900] of marketing work. He's doing a lot of work on the simulator, you know, in the development of the car and supporting over Grand Prix weekends. And I think having
[25:09.900 -> 25:16.620] his energy around the two drivers, it makes them feel more at ease. It's less awkward
[25:16.620 -> 25:19.660] between the two of them, particularly when the two of them are competing against each
[25:19.660 -> 25:27.000] other. And they both genuinely like him because he's just that kind of guy that you can't dislike Daniel Ricciardo.
[25:28.000 -> 25:36.000] So when it comes to like a normal season, obviously this season has been a fantastic start for Red Bull, but it's not always the way.
[25:36.000 -> 25:42.000] Have you ever come to a point where you've faced a moment of a wall, if you will,
[25:42.000 -> 25:48.160] and you've managed to crash your way through it and absolutely smash it out of the park, but you've had that moment of adversity that you've overcome.
[25:48.160 -> 25:52.640] We've had so many. I mean, and that's Formula One, it's the most competitive sport in the
[25:52.640 -> 25:56.840] world in that when we came into the sport, we had to fight to get into a competitive
[25:56.840 -> 26:05.000] position. We did that in a relatively quick amount of time, joining in 2005 and winning by 2010.
[26:05.780 -> 26:07.580] Within a five year period,
[26:07.580 -> 26:12.440] we turned the team into a championship winning organization.
[26:13.540 -> 26:16.700] We then had four really successful seasons
[26:16.700 -> 26:19.840] and then a big regulation change for 2014
[26:19.840 -> 26:22.120] and the engine that we had,
[26:22.120 -> 26:25.560] we just couldn't compete against our opponents with.
[26:25.560 -> 26:31.960] And that was really tough for everybody in the team for an element that we couldn't control.
[26:31.960 -> 26:34.620] We were unable to compete.
[26:34.620 -> 26:40.880] And then head start the drop and you can end up in a downward spiral very, very quickly.
[26:40.880 -> 26:46.080] But we managed to stop that and be able to focus on the things that we could control.
[26:46.720 -> 26:50.480] And in doing that, we were able to win races in every single season bar one
[26:51.840 -> 26:58.640] in the intervening years at circuits that would suit the characteristics of our car,
[26:58.640 -> 27:04.160] opportunities that we were able to grab. And then once we got a competitive power unit that Honda
[27:04.720 -> 27:06.320] provided for us, suddenly
[27:06.320 -> 27:11.440] we're back in the hunt, we're back in the game, but with all that hunger and motivation
[27:11.440 -> 27:14.800] to get back into a winning situation.
[27:14.800 -> 27:18.640] Is there anything in particular that you are looking forward to this season? I'm going
[27:18.640 -> 27:22.280] to take a wild guess and think that you're really looking forward to Vegas.
[27:22.280 -> 27:25.640] Well, yes and no. I mean, Vegas is going to be a crazy race.
[27:25.720 -> 27:30.960] I mean, racing down the Strip in Vegas on a Saturday night
[27:31.040 -> 27:33.200] is just going to be insane.
[27:33.280 -> 27:37.480] The amount of interest that we've had in that race is totally unprecedented.
[27:37.560 -> 27:43.280] I've never known a race so hyped and so much interest there is in Vegas.
[27:43.360 -> 27:46.480] For me, it's a different kind of landmark that I
[27:46.480 -> 27:49.280] turned 50 in the Vegas weekend.
[27:49.280 -> 27:53.240] So, I mean, if you've got to turn 50 and you've got to do it somewhere,
[27:53.240 -> 27:56.680] Vegas is not a bad place to do it.
[27:56.680 -> 27:57.480] So.
[27:57.480 -> 27:59.600] He wants to be working on their 50th.
[27:59.600 -> 28:02.480] But it's only a number at the end of the day.
[28:02.480 -> 28:09.200] Fair enough. Right, so we are getting our Red Bull fans to get in touch with questions for our
[28:09.200 -> 28:15.680] guests. So I do have a list of questions here for you. This is from Lisa in South Africa, who says,
[28:15.680 -> 28:20.160] what were your thoughts on all of the red flags and restarts at the end of the Australian Grand
[28:20.160 -> 28:26.000] Prix? Well, it was frustrating. I felt that, you know, they didn't look like there
[28:26.000 -> 28:27.480] was that much debris on the track.
[28:27.480 -> 28:29.040] I think if the if if
[28:29.320 -> 28:31.060] safety car had
[28:31.060 -> 28:32.060] have been kept
[28:32.800 -> 28:33.940] out there, they could have cleaned
[28:33.960 -> 28:35.200] the circuit and we could have got
[28:35.520 -> 28:37.520] a couple of laps of racing underway
[28:38.680 -> 28:40.320] as we've done in previous races.
[28:40.320 -> 28:41.320] But it felt a little
[28:42.200 -> 28:43.960] trigger happy to red flag it and
[28:43.960 -> 28:47.240] then and then restart just for a lap or
[28:47.240 -> 28:50.280] two where the sun was low.
[28:50.280 -> 28:55.280] There was only ever going to be one outcome from a restart like that.
[28:55.280 -> 28:58.160] And unfortunately, we got it.
[28:58.160 -> 29:02.760] And this question is from Nimish in India, who says, Mr. Christian Horner, that's a really
[29:02.760 -> 29:03.760] polite start.
[29:03.760 -> 29:04.760] It's very polite.
[29:04.760 -> 29:05.760] Mr. Christian Horner, how do you inst polite start. It's very polite. Mr. Christian Horner,
[29:05.760 -> 29:07.920] how do you instill confidence into the driver
[29:07.920 -> 29:10.120] after a run of bad results or a crash
[29:10.120 -> 29:12.600] and give them the confidence that you trust them
[29:12.600 -> 29:14.720] and that the team is with them?
[29:14.720 -> 29:18.400] Well, Mr. Nimish, I think it's a matter of,
[29:18.400 -> 29:20.560] it's a matter of just talking openly and honestly
[29:20.560 -> 29:24.360] with your drivers or engineers or any member of the team,
[29:24.360 -> 29:26.000] because confidence is a key
[29:26.000 -> 29:33.120] factor in any sport or in any walk of life. And I think that that's something you have to feel for
[29:33.120 -> 29:39.280] yourself, but you have to feel that people have got the confidence and support around you. And I
[29:39.280 -> 29:46.160] think if you feel that, then it's more probable that you're going to deliver to your highest standard
[29:46.160 -> 29:49.920] in knowing that people have got belief and faith in you.
[29:49.920 -> 29:57.160] And this is from Thanishka, also from India. How do you stay calm during the race? I mean,
[29:57.160 -> 30:00.920] we've discussed how you kind of relax when you're at home, but during a race?
[30:00.920 -> 30:05.280] Yeah, I mean, look, in the race, it's so consuming. There's so much going on. It's like being
[30:06.320 -> 30:14.320] in a very busy air traffic control centre. There's just information constantly coming at you. So,
[30:14.320 -> 30:18.080] you're trying to digest all the information. There's certain screens that I have in front
[30:18.080 -> 30:23.120] of me that I'm following very closely, whether it's the race plot or the sector times or
[30:24.480 -> 30:26.920] the race trace of exactly where the cars are on the
[30:26.920 -> 30:27.920] circuit.
[30:27.920 -> 30:33.040] And of course, you're communicating with the key people, whether it's the head of race
[30:33.040 -> 30:37.400] strategy, head of race engineering, our sporting director, and of course, back with the factory
[30:37.400 -> 30:43.480] in Milton Keynes that are providing information and options.
[30:43.480 -> 30:47.000] So it's very much like a military operation,
[30:47.000 -> 30:49.000] and there has to be discipline in that.
[30:49.000 -> 30:52.000] And it's something that where time just flies by.
[30:52.000 -> 30:55.000] And I think experience helps,
[30:55.000 -> 31:01.000] but you're far likely to make good decisions with a calm head
[31:01.000 -> 31:04.000] than being hot-headed and making emotional decisions.
[31:04.000 -> 31:07.560] Because it's quite interesting sitting here talking to you now,
[31:07.560 -> 31:11.200] because you actually are just speaking at exactly the same level
[31:11.200 -> 31:14.720] and exactly the same pace as you would during a race,
[31:14.720 -> 31:17.040] which I find quite impressive.
[31:17.040 -> 31:18.800] You're just very calm all the time.
[31:18.800 -> 31:19.680] You're just a very calm guy.
[31:19.680 -> 31:20.680] On the outside.
[31:20.680 -> 31:22.400] Oh, okay. That's fair enough.
[31:22.400 -> 31:29.280] So, but, you know, I think... we're all very British about it, really. I mean,
[31:29.280 -> 31:34.000] the Italians, they shout and scream and they get a bit more emotional or, you know, everybody
[31:34.000 -> 31:40.080] has a different character. I think British as a nation are a little bit more stoic.
[31:40.080 -> 31:48.720] Yeah. This final question is from Sophie Anne from France, who says, what are the three words that you would use to describe your 18 years at Red Bull?
[31:49.520 -> 31:50.080] Three words?
[31:50.080 -> 31:50.720] Three words.
[31:51.760 -> 31:54.960] Um, I'm not gonna use any swear words.
[31:54.960 -> 31:55.920] Well, don't do that.
[31:57.120 -> 32:03.520] Um, my time at Red Bull these 18 years has been, one has been amazing.
[32:03.800 -> 32:04.320] time at Red Bull these 18 years has been, one has been amazing.
[32:10.520 -> 32:16.740] Uh, it's been hugely rewarding from working with so many great, um, you know, team members and, and, and, and, uh, so many great, great members of
[32:16.740 -> 32:17.280] the team.
[32:17.820 -> 32:26.720] Um, and it's been extremely fulfilling in, uh, you know,ising your goals and ambitions of winning world
[32:26.720 -> 32:32.080] championships, winning races, pole positions, fastest laps, and then managing to do it for
[32:32.080 -> 32:36.960] a second time round as well. So they're probably the three words I would pick.
[32:36.960 -> 32:44.080] Here's my final question for you. If you weren't sat in this seat right now, what's your backup
[32:44.080 -> 32:46.840] plan? What would you be doing if you weren't sat in this seat right now, what's your backup plan? What would you be doing if you weren't here?
[32:46.920 -> 32:48.640] There was never a plan B.
[32:48.720 -> 32:51.920] So I would be probably unemployable.
[32:52.000 -> 32:58.440] Or, you know, working, I'd probably be working outside somewhere.
[32:58.520 -> 33:00.920] You know, I enjoy the countryside, I enjoy being outside,
[33:01.000 -> 33:06.720] but I have no idea, I had no ambition outside of being involved in motorsport.
[33:06.720 -> 33:10.000] I wanted to be a driver and that I was honest with myself.
[33:10.320 -> 33:12.720] I was OK, but there was lots of drivers that were OK.
[33:12.720 -> 33:16.280] And I was too in love with the sport to let it go.
[33:16.280 -> 33:19.800] So I thought I'd just apply my myself into another area.
[33:19.800 -> 33:21.480] And that's that's exactly what I did.
[33:21.480 -> 33:24.400] Is there a part of you that watches drivers now and you just you're itching
[33:24.400 -> 33:25.280] to get back in the car?
[33:25.280 -> 33:25.840] No, none at all.
[33:25.840 -> 33:26.240] No?
[33:26.240 -> 33:27.200] No, absolutely not.
[33:27.200 -> 33:29.120] Not even a little bit tempted on a sim or something?
[33:29.120 -> 33:32.160] It just feels like such a long time ago.
[33:32.160 -> 33:32.800] Yeah.
[33:32.800 -> 33:37.040] And then when you see the speed of these cars and how physical they are and
[33:39.120 -> 33:46.640] how brutal they are on the drivers, there's nothing in me that desires to get back in one.
[33:46.640 -> 33:51.480] That's fair. That's fair. Now, our friends at HP Poly have sent us some audio, so we've
[33:51.480 -> 33:55.920] got a bit of a challenge for you. So if you want to pop in your wireless headphones for
[33:55.920 -> 33:57.920] us, thank you very much.
[33:57.920 -> 33:58.920] Excellent.
[33:58.920 -> 34:08.240] So, we're going to play you three clips. Now you get a point if you can name me the driver saying the message, the race it was set at,
[34:08.960 -> 34:13.120] and the year that it was in. So we're going to play you clip number one.
[34:14.400 -> 34:17.440] We have to remember these days. We have to remember these days.
[34:18.320 -> 34:24.240] We can't. There's no guarantee that they will last forever. Enjoy them as long as they last.
[34:24.240 -> 34:25.120] I love you guys.
[34:25.920 -> 34:35.200] Well, the drive is easier. Sebastian, the when and the where are probably slightly harder.
[34:37.200 -> 34:54.400] Which race and which year? Otherwise, you don't get any points if you just know it. I would say it's after he's won his world championship in, maybe in 2013, which he did
[34:54.400 -> 34:58.320] in India. So that's probably what I will go for.
[34:58.320 -> 35:04.240] Oh, you're so close. I feel like I want to give you half a point for that, because that's
[35:04.240 -> 35:11.440] really impressive. It is Seb Vettel, and it is 2013, but it was the US Grand Prix. You were so close there.
[35:12.320 -> 35:13.760] Half a point. Half a point.
[35:13.760 -> 35:16.400] Yeah, I'm in a good mood. It's fine. Right, clip number two.
[35:17.600 -> 35:20.640] Hi, Greg. Sorry, guys. Sorry.
[35:21.000 -> 35:22.400] Sorry.
[35:23.800 -> 35:25.120] Well, it's Danny Kiviat.
[35:27.400 -> 35:30.560] The question is, where does he crash?
[35:31.840 -> 35:34.840] Because he had a few of them.
[35:40.200 -> 35:41.240] I would say that was in 2016.
[35:45.000 -> 35:47.120] And he had a mighty crash in Sochi in Russia.
[35:48.800 -> 35:49.800] So I would probably go for that.
[35:50.960 -> 35:51.800] I can't give you a point for that. You can't give me anything for that.
[35:51.800 -> 35:54.120] You got the driver right, but it was 2015,
[35:54.120 -> 35:56.320] and again, it was the US Grand Prix.
[35:56.320 -> 35:57.200] He crashed there as well?
[35:57.200 -> 35:58.040] Yeah.
[35:58.040 -> 35:58.880] Oh, okay.
[35:58.880 -> 36:00.840] Right, there's your third clip.
[36:00.840 -> 36:01.680] Here we go.
[36:01.680 -> 36:06.000] Was that a good race, or was that a good race? You tell me.
[36:06.000 -> 36:11.000] Christ. OK. It's Max Verstappen, but when he says, was that a good race, was that a good race?
[36:11.000 -> 36:14.000] He's won, what, 37 Grands Prix for us so far.
[36:14.000 -> 36:16.000] He's had his fair share. Yeah.
[36:16.000 -> 36:19.000] They've all been pretty decent.
[36:19.000 -> 36:26.160] I would say, I remember him saying it, I think last year. So 2022.
[36:29.200 -> 36:30.680] I think maybe Miami.
[36:32.200 -> 36:33.960] Again, I'm going to give you half a point.
[36:33.960 -> 36:38.320] OK. I'll give you half a point because it is Max and it was 2022,
[36:38.320 -> 36:39.720] but it was Azerbaijan.
[36:39.720 -> 36:40.280] Oh, there you go.
[36:40.280 -> 36:42.720] So you got two half points. You got one out of three.
[36:43.160 -> 36:46.000] That's not so bad. That wasn't so bad.
[36:46.000 -> 36:48.000] But thank you very much for joining me.
[36:48.000 -> 36:49.000] That's all the time we've got, I'm afraid.
[36:49.000 -> 36:51.000] It's been a pleasure to chat to you.
[36:51.000 -> 36:52.000] Good luck for the rest of the season,
[36:52.000 -> 36:55.000] and hopefully I'll catch up with you at some point later on.
[36:55.000 -> 36:56.000] And that's it for this episode.
[36:56.000 -> 36:58.000] Make sure you join us next month,
[36:58.000 -> 37:01.000] where we're going to be chatting to legendary designer, Adrian Newey.
[37:01.000 -> None] See you next time.