Max Verstappen’s 2022 performance ‘on another planet’, Christian Horner claims

Verstappen sealed his second world title with four races remaining

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has hailed driver Max Verstappen for his performance from “another world” this season.

Verstappen has claimed his second world title with four races remaining of the Formula 1 season. Horner says the Dutchman drove with maturity and conviction to see off rivals like Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

“To do it with four races remaining, I mean, it’s truly a remarkable performance,” Horner told Motorsport.com. “And I think Max has been on another planet this year, he has dominated this championship, driven with such maturity, such conviction.

“And I think, of course, far less controversial than the last race in Abu Dhabi, which was a titanic battle last year. And the big one outstanding for us is the constructors’.

“So after eight years, no other team has come close to winning it, and hopefully we can bring that home this year as well.”

This year’s championship is a clear cut win for Verstappen after the controversy following his first title in 2021. Verstappen overtook Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton with just a lap to go after F1 rules were bent.

And Horner has commented on last year’s championship, saying: “A championship win is a championship win. And this one, I think the blood pressure is way lower than in Abu Dhabi. But it means just as much.”

Verstappen didn’t know when he crossed the line at the Japan GP he had won the championship as due to poor weather the race was cut short. But it was confirmed shortly after.

The star said: “It’s a crazy feeling, of course, as I didn’t expect it when I crossed the line. Was it going to be half points? I didn’t know how many points I was going to get. I was happy with the race we had.”