Last Updated: June 19, 2023, 10:19 IST
F1: Red Bull celebrates with Max Verstappen (AP)
Red Bull Racing: Max Verstappen wins Canadian Grand Prix to draw alongside Ayrton Senna in the Formula One record books with his 41st victory
As Red Bull celebrated a landmark 100th Formula One win at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday, a reflective team principal Christian Horner recalled thinking that he might have been satisfied with one victory.
Now at 100 wins the thirst for victory remains unquenched.
“I think for us we’ve broken into a fairly elite club of over 100 (wins),” said Horner. “It’s phenomenal and we’re only just going really.
“We’re still young – we achieved that first victory in 2009. Obviously have achieved a lot in that period and hopefully we can keep going and achieve another 100.”
Red Bull becomes just the fifth team to amass 100 grand prix wins joining Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Williams.
Only Ferrari have won more than 200 and that number is the new target mentioned by Horner and the team’s double world champion Max Verstappen, who delivered the milestone Canadian victory.
“Today, to win the 100th grand prix for the team that’s pretty incredible,” said Verstappen, who has now led more than 200 consecutive laps.
“I never expected to be in these kinds of numbers myself as well, we keep enjoying, we keep working hard but today has been a great day.”
If Red Bull is to reach 200 wins, Verstappen is likely to be a big part of that success, as he was in the first 100.
Just 25 years old, Verstappen is already a double world champion, his victory in Montreal the 41st of his career bringing him equal with the late great Brazilian triple champion Ayrton Senna.
The Dutchman’s repeat win in Montreal extended his season-long dominance.
Verstappen won for the sixth time this season — the fourth in a row — and Red Bull remained a perfect 8 for 8 on the year.
Tying Senna was simply a byproduct of his success. seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton holds the all-time record with 103 wins.
Fernando Alonso finished second for Aston Martin at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the Spaniard’s sixth podium in eight races, with Britain’s Lewis Hamilton third for Mercedes. Hamilton was followed home by the two Ferraris, with Charles Leclerc taking fourth and Carlos Sainz fifth.
(With inputs from Agencies)
