- Red Bull
Spanish GP could be win or bust - Horner
Christian Horner believes Red Bull needs to start the European season by beating Mercedes in Spain if it harbours genuine ambitions of overhauling the deficit to the front-runners this season.
Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo have 33 and 24 points respectively, a long way off the leading Mercedes pair of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, who sit on 79 and 75. Mercedes' four straight victories have come at a canter so far and, though Red Bull proved it can challenge to be the best of the rest, Horner wants to make a statement in Barcelona.
"We've got to [beat them in Spain] if we're going to make a championship of it. We've got to take the fight to them," Horner told Sky Sports F1. "We're going to give it everything. I believe we can take the fight to them, we just can't concede too much more ground."
Mercedes power had the edge on Red Bull and Renault on the straights in Bahrain and China, which was a clear advantage in both races. But Horner knows what Red Bull's limitations have been but is optimistic the team can progress in Spain.
"We were 22km/h slower on that kilometre straight [at the Chinese Grand Prix], that represented almost 100 metres that we were giving away on the straight.
"That's where we've got to improve, it's quite simple. We know where we've got to fix our issues and hopefully there are some steps towards that in Barcelona."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
