Just a few after clinching the world title in Qatar, Max Verstappen, the three-time World Champion, got a little carried away with his celebrations. Christian Horner, the Red Bull team boss, shared that he had to intervene when Verstappen’s post-victory drinks tally reached “five gin and tonics.”

Winning the World Championship on a Saturday, following the sprint in Qatar, was a rare occurrence. This abnormal but welcome win might have given Verstappen the excuse to let his defense down a bit more than usual. However, Horner was quick to point out that the team still had a Grand Prix to prepare for on Sunday, and with temperatures expected to soar to 42 degrees, it was crucial for everyone to be in top form.

Balancing celebrations with responsibilities: Christian Horner and a prudent intervention

Winning three consecutive world titles might give one a pass to bend the rules, but with another race in the offing, Christian Horner felt the need to pull the reins. Horner recalled the evening, sharing on Dax Shepard’s Eff Won podcast, as quoted by PlanetF1:

“He won the Championship in Qatar and I said ‘Okay, let’s get the whole team together. We’ll just have a couple of drinks. It’s not every day you win a World Championship.'” But soon, it was clear that the celebratory mood had perhaps gone a tad too far. He added, “Max is five gin and tonics in and we need to stop, everybody needs to go to bed now.” The next day, many team members battled the effects of the previous night’s merriment under the blazing Qatar sun.

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The aftermath of the celebrations, it seems, was quite memorable. “You’ve got all the drivers passing out with the heat. I think Max was on some kind of detox!” Horner humorously remarked.

Despite his festive indulgence, Verstappen showcased his champion mettle. He emerged victorious in the Sunday race in Qatar, marking his 14th win of the season, proving that a little celebration couldn’t dampen his racing spirit.

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While the post-race celebrations and behind-the-scenes drama can be enticing, the real essence of F1 lies in the meticulous planning, design, and innovation that powers these racing marvels. It’s a realm where the genius of certain individuals comes into play.

Giancarlo Minardi points to the key to Red Bull’s F1 supremacy

Former F1 team boss Giancarlo Minardi has made a striking assertion. He believes to have found the linchpin in Max Verstappen’s dominance. Minardi suggested that a small (albeit huge) retirement might be the only way to break Red Bull‘s current stranglehold on the sport.

Minardi, the man who introduced his own team to F1 in 1985, expressed awe at the combination of Verstappen’s skill and Red Bull’s engineering, acknowledging Newey’s pivotal role. In a statement to The Point, he said, “In front of such a disarming supremacy in terms of both speed and above all reliability, and the competitiveness of Verstappen and Red Bull, I do not know what the direct rivals can do in the near future. Perhaps the only solution is to retire Adrian Newey.”

Newey, who has been integral to Red Bull’s success since 2006, is hailed as a visionary in car design. His expertise has not only benefited Red Bull but has also led to championship victories for both Williams and McLaren in the past.

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The observations of Giancarlo Minardi not only highlight the crucial role of technical innovation in F1 but also point to the towering figure of Adrian Newey in Red Bull’s ascendancy. As the F1 world looks to the future, it remains to be seen how rivals will adapt and whether Newey’s influence will continue to shape the sports landscape.