Even if Vettel cannot complete the job this weekend, it seems inconceivable
Red Bull will not claim the five points they require to secure a third
straight constructors’ title. They deserve to.
No doubt their latest success will bring the usual allegations of overspending
and cheating, but Christian Horner and his chief technical officer, Adrian
Newey, deserve huge credit for having put together such a well-oiled machine
at their Milton Keynes headquarters. Red Bull’s dominance since midway
through 2009 is certainly making their more illustrious rivals Ferrari, and
in particular McLaren, sweat. The Woking team have still not won a
constructors’ title this century, a barren spell which is becoming a serious
cause for concern.
Red Bull, meanwhile, go from strength to strength. It was only seven years ago
that Horner, then aged just 31, was asked to lead a team big on ambition but
short on expertise having emerged from the ashes of Jaguar and their
disastrous foray into Formula One. Now, having celebrated his 39th birthday
on Friday, Horner is about to join some of the greatest leaders the sport
has ever known — Enzo Ferrari, Ron Dennis, Sir Frank Williams and Jean Todt
— in masterminding three consecutive constructors’ titles.
Horner’s reputation has grown but it is good to see that his celebrity has not
grown commensurately. Visiting the £250 million Circuit of the America’s,
Texas governor Rick Perry was introduced to Red Bull’s team principal.
Spying one of the logos on his shirt, for a fashion label, the governor
shook Horner’s hand and said: “Nice to meet you, Pepe.” No, it is the
drivers who remain the stars in this sport. And as Formula One prepares to
put on a show today, in front of Hollywood players ranging from Matt LeBlanc
to Patrick Dempsey to George Lucas, it is Vettel and Alonso who will provide
the star wars.