Motor racing-Red Bull need a miracle for constructors’ title, says Horner

Dec 6 (Reuters) – Red Bull need a miracle to wrest the Formula One constructors’ title from Mercedes after slipping further behind in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, team boss Christian Horner said.

Mercedes — chasing a record eighth title in a row — started the day five points clear of Red Bull and ended it 28 ahead with one race and a maximum of 44 remaining to be won in Abu Dhabi next weekend.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton are tied on points after 21 of 22 rounds.

Hamilton won in Jeddah with team mate Valtteri Bottas third. Verstappen was second with Mexican Sergio Perez failing to finish.

“This team has put together a phenomenal campaign this year,” said Horner. “We’ve won 10 races…we’ve taken them (Mercedes) all the way to the final race.

“(In the) Constructors’ we’re on the back foot now, we need a miracle to win that.

“But we’ve got one more shot to have a go at winning this title with Max and we will do everything that we can. We’ll prepare, we’ll regroup and the guys are not down. They can be proud of what they’ve achieved.”

Mercedes need score only 17 points next weekend to be sure of the constructors’ crown.

“The drivers’ is where the prestige is. It’s not where the money is,” said Horner. “And that’s the one that people remember.”

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Sam Holmes)

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