Redbull's F1 Team Hit The Slopes!
28 January 2015, 06:00
Milton Keynes' Formula 1 team Redbull Racing took to the slopes at the town's Snozone in Xscape yesterday.
Making quite an entrance, team manager Christian Horner and new team driver Daniil Kvyat braved the slope on skis - they made it down in one piece, although somewhat gingerly! Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo on the other hand chickened out and bombed down the slope on a sledge...apparently he's not much of a skiier! It's clear their talents lie on the track and not the slopes!
After getting their breath back I got to speak to them about the upcoming season...
With four-time world champion Sebastien Vettel having left to go to Ferrari, the first thing I wanted to know was how does 20 year old newcomer Daniil Kvyat feel stepping into his rather large shoes..."No pressure, just excitement that's all", he insisted. "The attitude of myself is not going to change because this attitude has been bringing me good things so far and I think it's going to be similar in Redbull Racing"
His manager Christian Horner also has every faith that the Russian can cope with the pressure..."Yeah I think so, he's a cool customer, he's very fast. He's only 19 or 20 but he's got a very wise head on young shoulders and the more pressure we give him the better he gets."
After outperforming Vettel last year and finishing third in the championship, I wanted to know how Daniel Ricciardo feels about working and competing alongside his new team-mate? Are they competitive? "It'll be a good rivalry, a healthy rivalry. I know he's young and ready to try and impress and I still feel I'm young and I still have things I want to achieve and so it's going to be a healthy relationship."
And it seems Daniil agrees "We've known each other for quite a long time and we are getting along quite well so far and I think we're gonna do our best to bring positive and strong energy to this team which will hopefully push it back to the top."
Daniil is of course referring to the disappointing year for Redbull in 2014, who's crown was stolen by Mercedes. I asked Christian Horner if they're confident with how they'll perform next season "Mercedes had a phenomenal car last year so we've worked very hard over the winter to try and close that gap, Renault likewise with the engine, so we'll see in about six weeks time in the first race whether we've managed to get close to them."
After 90 minutes on the slopes I decided to leave them to it and headed back to the studio with a red nose and blocks of ice for feet.