SUZUKA - Two weeks after Max Verstappen retired during Australian GP, Red Bull bounced back this weekend at the Japanese Grand Prix by securing a one-two finish. Christian Horner praised the performance of his drivers but nevertheless acknowledged that Red Bull was feeling the pressure from Ferrari.

 Having been forced to retire during his race in Australia, Max Verstappen clinched his third victory of the season at the Japanese Grand Prix, ahead of his teammate Sergio Pérez and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz. However, Christian Horner still recognizes that the task is now slightly more complicated and that the pressure from Ferrari is beginning to be felt: "You can see that there is clearly a convergence, which is entirely normal when you have a stable regulation. We are under pressure even though we still maintain a slight advantage. I'm sure it will only converge as the season progresses, so it's important to score points as early as possible before the development race. And now we are heading to China for the first sprint weekend of the year, which will be a big unknown as the track and tires have evolved significantly since our last time there [in 2019]."

 By securing the third and fourth positions, Ferrari has positioned itself as the second force on the grid. This reputation didn't just emerge this Sunday morning as the team has been consistently displaying immense progress since Bahrain, but it still needs to be built upon and maintained throughout a very long season. Indeed, the team starts the year with four consecutive podiums for the first time since 2018, which they owe to Carlos Sainz and their strategy. Although he will not continue beyond 2024, the Spaniard emerges as the leader of Ferrari after outshining Charles Leclerc in his favorite exercise, that of the quick lap, for the second consecutive qualifying session.

 JDC