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LONDON, England - Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has backed driver Sebastian Vettel, amid suggestions the four-times Formula 1 champion could be losing the support of the Red Bull team.
Typicall forthright 1997 F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve sid that, amid Vettel's struggle to keep up with new team mate Daniel Ricciardo in 2014: "Red Bull is treating him like it treated Mark Webber. Now they want to 'kill' Sebastian because he's not right for the Red Bull image."
There are rumours McLaren has made an early approach to Vettel but Horner has tipped Vettel to bounce back, essentially blaming the bulk of the 26-year-old's struggles on "bad luck".
'RESULTS WILL RETURN'
"Sebastian has had an incredible amount of bad luck in 2014. Three times he's failed to finish but he's had many more technical problems than that."
Despite Vettel's struggle simply for a functioning car, Horner said: "Vettel is dealing with the situation incredibly well. Many other drivers would have had their head down, their motivation gone. Not him... he works harder and pushes the team even more.
"When the tide turns, the results will come back."
According Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda, a major element to the Red Bull situation in 2014 has been Daniel Ricciardo who surprised the entire paddock with his rapid rise among the very best drivers in F1.
He added: "He is a huge talent who has reached a very high level in a very short period. He has everything it takes to be a champion."
Typicall forthright 1997 F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve sid that, amid Vettel's struggle to keep up with new team mate Daniel Ricciardo in 2014: "Red Bull is treating him like it treated Mark Webber. Now they want to 'kill' Sebastian because he's not right for the Red Bull image."
There are rumours McLaren has made an early approach to Vettel but Horner has tipped Vettel to bounce back, essentially blaming the bulk of the 26-year-old's struggles on "bad luck".
'RESULTS WILL RETURN'
"Sebastian has had an incredible amount of bad luck in 2014. Three times he's failed to finish but he's had many more technical problems than that."
Despite Vettel's struggle simply for a functioning car, Horner said: "Vettel is dealing with the situation incredibly well. Many other drivers would have had their head down, their motivation gone. Not him... he works harder and pushes the team even more.
"When the tide turns, the results will come back."
According Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda, a major element to the Red Bull situation in 2014 has been Daniel Ricciardo who surprised the entire paddock with his rapid rise among the very best drivers in F1.
He added: "He is a huge talent who has reached a very high level in a very short period. He has everything it takes to be a champion."