By Alan Baldwin
DOHA (Reuters) – Max Verstappen has a grand prix to win in Qatar on Sunday after securing his third Formula One championship on Saturday but Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was adamant there was still time to party.
Verstappen clinched the title in a 19-lap standalone Saturday sprint, the first time that has happened in Formula One with the format introduced in 2021.
Sunday remains the big event but Red Bull have now won both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles for the second year in a row and sixth time in their history and were in a mood to celebrate.
“It’s unusual,” Horner said of being in such a position on a Saturday.
“But achieving a world championship is a most magical feeling and something that as a team you have to celebrate that moment, you have to be in the now.
“So tonight as a team we’ll get together, a couple of Red Bulls and non-alcoholic beers, and then thankfully its a late start tomorrow and we’ll come back and try and do it all again in the grand prix,” he added.
Verstappen said, with a smile, that he would be knocking back a few fizzy waters.
Father Jos suggested he might be sampling something stronger.
The race is at night, starting at 8pm local time, so any mechanics who go for something stronger should have time to recover.
Those on Sergio Perez’s side of the garage will still have plenty of work to do, with the Mexican crashing out of the sprint race.
Red Bull clinched the constructors’ championship in Japan two weeks ago, on a Sunday.
“We’re going to enjoy this moment and celebrate,” said Horner. “There’s not often you get days like today to celebrate this seventh drivers’ world championship for the team and take a moment just to enjoy it.”
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)
