Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed the pain of losing to bitter rivals Mercedes for so many years has been the driving force behind its current level of dominance.

After winning four successive constructors’ and drivers’ championships – the latter with Sebastian Vettel at the wheel – from 2010 to 2013, Red Bull was then forced to take a back seat to Mercedes when the new power unit was introduced in 2014.

Mercedes went on to win eight consecutive constructors’ titles, and seven drivers’ crowns before Max Verstappen finally stopped the rot in 2021.

With the introduction of new aerodynamic rules last year, Red Bull has again returned to monopolise matters, winning 24 of 29 grands prix, including all seven this year.

Unperturbed by its current advantage over the rest of the field, Horner said: “We’ve spent seven years trying to get back into a winning position, and losing hurts.

“We’ve worked very hard to get into this position, and I think the whole team as a unit – it’s not just Max, it’s the whole team – is just operating at such a high level that we have a phenomenal car.

“We’ve got two great drivers, and Max is continuing to evolve as a driver. He’s just becoming more and more polished and the capacity that he has within the car is truly impressive.”

Spread over two seasons, Red Bull’s winning run includes victories in 16 of the last 17 races, with its only blemish in São Paulo last year when George Russell took the chequered flag for the first time in his career with Mercedes.

Asked whether he was proud of the achievement, Horner added: “Hugely proud of it.

“It just means that much more. We were there, then we were down, and then we fought back to be there again.

“Every member of the team has played such a crucial role in this performance.

“Formula 1 is one of the most competitive sports in the world, and to be operating at the level that we are is something you have to celebrate.”

Mercedes is potentially starting to threaten following a change of direction with its development and the addition of upgrades applied to the car at the recent Monaco Grand Prix.

It will take time, however, for the team to build on the updates and to be competitive at the level at which Red Bull is currently operating.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has vowed to bring Verstappen’s dominance “under control”, although did at least tip his hat to the Dutch driver for being “on a level different level at present”, a remark he said ‘pisses him off for saying that’.

Put to Horner whether there was any satisfaction in hearing Wolff’s words, particularly given the acrimonious history between the two, on this occasion, he refused to be drawn.

“To be honest, I don’t pay a great deal of attention to it,” said Horner.

“What matters is the score sheet at the end of the day, and that’s looking pretty healthy.”