2022 Autosport Awards: “We can’t take anything for granted,” Christian Horner, Red Bull F1 Team Principal

The emblematic JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London was the host of the 2022 Autosport Awards. This event recognizes the most important figures within the motorsport industry. Formula 1, Indycar, NASCAR and rally stars walked the Red Carpet on Sunday. 

The event had two main venues, the red carpet on the outside, and the ballroom, where hundreds of attendees were gathered to celebrate the sport with the athletes and received the awards. 

The Red-Carpet venue was in the main patio of the Grosvenor House hotel, situated right next to Hyde Park. The ambience in the place was worthy of an award ceremony. 

Guests were welcomed by the compulsory decoration for all motorsport fans, concretely to all F1 or Drive to Survive followers, was set up.   

The shiny navy blue Red Bull F1 car of Max Verstappen’s F1 was the opening star of the place. As guests arrived they couldn’t resist the temptation of taking a picture with the Championship car. 

On the other side, the astounding Sebastian Vettel’s Green Aston Martin. That will pass into history as the German´s last car as an F1 driver. Next to it, the Safety Car used during the races from the same English house was there to be admired.  

Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull F1, was also on sight. Red Bull closed a great year after Max Verstappen won the Driver Championship for a second consecutive year. Red Bull also won the Constructor’s Championship, which they hadn’t won since 2013. 

“We can’t take anything for granted what we have achieved this year and try to retain those titles next season,” said Christian Horner.

The upcoming season has higher expectations, with more competitors for the championship. Max Verstappen will try to defend his crown from the main expected contenders.  

“It is going to be a tough year, Ferrari and Mercedes are coming back hard,” Horner said.

Despite the winter break, Horner and all the Red Bull team are preparing for what seems to be one of the most competitive seasons from the last few years. 

“I don’t have a lot of free time at the moment, I am very busy in preparation for next year running up before Christmas,” said Christian Horner. 

Max Verstappen, 2022 World Champion and Red Bull F1 driver, received the International Racing Driver of the Year (presented by Pirelli). However, the Dutchman was not in attendance for this edition of the Autosports Awards. 

Sebastian Vettel, four times Formula 1 World Champion, was later honoured with the Gregor Grant Lifetime Achievement Award on the Red Carpet. 

“What I love so much – initially I didn’t get it because you’re young, but I think the opportunity to work with so many people that are very passionate about what they do,” he told Autosport. 

George Russell, F1 Mercedes driver, was another familiar face at the event. He arrived to the event with his partner and some friends. Russell waited for Sebastian Vettel to enter the event zone. 

The press asked them to pose together, but Russell moved to the side laughing: “It is his night.” After a single picture of the Dutchman, both of them posed together. 

George Russell was awarded with the Moment of the Year for his F1 Brazil victory. Alongside his teammate Lewis Hamilton, he won the British Competition Driver of the Year. 

Jost Capito, CEO and Team Principal of Williams Racing F1, was another important participant at the event. 

Capito took the decision earlier this year of not renewing Nicholas Latifi’s contract for next season. Williams will count with the experienced Alex Albon, and with the American rookie Logan Sargeant in the future, who also attended the awards.

“Alex is a very good driver, he was also very supportive to get Logan as a second driver, he likes to help young drivers. Logan is very fast as we have seen in the test in the simulator but he has to learn a lot because Formula 1 is very complicated especially compared to the past when they could have a lot of tests before they got into the first race, but this is not possible anymore. Logan has to learn in the races,” said Josep Capito. 

Jost Capito is already planning for the next year:

“After the summer break we focused on next year’s car. We changed internally so we are quite confident that we will have quite a good car next year. Not a really big step but we have to take a step forward.”

One week later, Josep Capito stepped down as CEO and Team Principal of Williams Racing F1.

The most notable winner of the night was Luke Browning, GB3 Champion, to round off the night. The twenty-year-old British driver was crowned Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year, winning £200,000 and an F1 test.

“It was really special to see all the names in the room, to add my name to the list… Words can’t describe this,” he told Autosport.