"They’re getting closer and closer"- Red Bull's Christian Horner wary of Mercedes threat after it secures double podium at 2022 F1 French GP

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes Mercedes are slowly closing the gap between themselves and the front-running pair of Red Bull and Ferrari. He expects the Silver Arrows to continue to be a threat for the rest of the ongoing season.

Speaking to Mirror UK following the 2022 F1 French GP, Horner said:

"They were certainly talking up their chances coming into the weekend. I think in the end, Max [Verstappen] was reasonably comfortable. But you can see they’re chipping away at it, they’re getting closer."

Horner jokingly added, saying:

"I hear Toto [Wolff] said they’re going to work throughout the summer break to improve the car, which would of course be illegal. You can see they’re getting closer and closer."

Mercedes had strong pace at the French GP last weekend, helping them secure their first double podium finish of the season.

The German team have come a long way since struggling with an unpredictable car that was highly prone to violent porpoising. They've managed to score consistently throughout the season to keep their championship hopes alive. Given their ongoing efforts, they are likely to be a thorn in Red bull and Ferrari’s side for the rest of the season.

Red Bull’s straight-line speed impossible to keep up with, says Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he was unable to keep up with Max Verstappen following an early safety car period at the French GP.

Despite Mercedes’ improved form at Paul Ricard, Hamilton said that “there was nothing he could do” to stop Verstappen from pulling away on the straights. Speaking at a post-race press conference, the Briton said:

“I was trying to keep up with Max [Verstappen]. He was just so fast. I was kind of keeping with him for like two, maybe two laps and then, but literally, I’m full gas down the straight and he’s pulling away."

“That’s, I think, one of the biggest deficits was the straight line today. So, if you’re losing four tenths, whatever it is, three tenths whatever it is, on the straight this, there’s nothing you can do about that.’’

The RB18 has consistently been the quickest car in a straight line throughout this season. The trait has proved incredibly valuable to the Austrian team during races. Despite Ferrari’s dominating performances in qualifying, Red Bull’s straight-line advantage has often helped the team achieve better laptimes during races.