Ricciardo-Verstappen better than Vettel-Webber, claims Horner; Red Bull boss also tells Sky F1 "we're going to go for it" in 2017
Thursday 7 July 2016 13:38, UK
Christian Horner believes Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen are Red Bull's best-ever pairing and is targeting a title challenge in 2017.
Red Bull have performed above expectation this season, particularly after Verstappen stepped up from Toro Rosso, with the teenager winning his first race for the senior team in Barcelona.
A Monaco pole and podium followed for Daniel Ricciardo and Horner, who has claimed the duo are Red Bull's future, told Sky F1's Ted Kravitz that the duo are the team's greatest in their 11 years in the sport.
Such praise means the team boss holds the current pairing in higher stead than Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, whose five-year partnership yielded four Drivers' and Constructors' Championships.
With the new aerodynamic rules to begin next season, Horner was also asked who he would like to win the 2017 title.
"I'd like to say Ricciardo but it's going to be interesting," he added, speaking ahead of the Austrian GP. "We're going to go for it. So many factors come into play but I think we've got the tools to challenge."
Ricciardo and Verstappen are fifth and sixth in the standings after the Spielberg race and, though his team-mate has impressed on Sundays, Sky F1's Martin Brundle believes the Australian has been reinvigorated since Daniil Kvyat was replaced.
"He's driving brilliantly and I honestly do believe he found a small overdrive gear," Brundle said. "He was giving it everything but Max Verstappen's turned up and he's going even better.
"Everybody in life needs that, we all perform better when somebody's putting us under pressure. You can see a few other teams on the grid that might follow the same plan.
"He's responded superbly well. It's debatable that they could just have the best driver pairing in Formula 1 at the moment with Ricciardo-Verstappen. Certainly going forward."
Watch the British GP live on Sky Sports F1. The race starts at 1pm on Sunday, with build-up underway at 11:30am. Or watch the race without a contract for £6.99 on NOW TV.
