On the eve of this weekend’s title-deci🎀ding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen claimed he𒁃 has been unfairly treated by F1’s stewards compared to other drivers this season. 

Horner agreed with Verstappen’s view💛 and argued the Dutchman faces additional scrutiny over his driving stand♎ards. 

“The problem for Max is that the scrutiny is on him, he has tꦡhe spotlight positioned on him,” Horner said🎐 during Friday’s press conference.

“He's running at the front, he's competing against a seven-time world champion, and I t💛hink allegations about his driving, about his driving style, about his driving s🍰tandards have been...there's been a narrative that's been pushed to put pressure on him.” 

Hamilton described Verstappen’s driving as “over the limit” after they clashed several times in the Saudi Arabian Grand 🉐Prix, before adding that F1’s overtaking rules “doesn’t apply to one of us”. 

Asked if he thinks Hamilton has played a role in the narrative against Verstappen, Horner said: “Lewis is a seven-time world champion, he’s the most successful driver of all time, he has a standing obviously withi𝄹n the sport and what he says carries a lot of weight. 

“I think he has used every tool available to him to put Max under pressure this year. He’s a competitive animal, you don’t become a seven-time world cha🎐mpion by not being a competitor like he is.

“Yes, I believe - and backed up by the Mercedes media machine - a huge amount of 💃pressure has been placed on Max. 

“What you’ve got to remember with Max is he’s just a young lad. He’s a 24-year-old who drives with bravery, with passion, with skill, with determinationಌ, and he’s j♈ust a guy living his dream, doing his job. And he’s up against not only Lewis but a huge machine in Mercedes-Benz.

"I think all credit to him the way he’s handled that pres💜sure this year and hasn’t been drawn into it, hasn’t been sucked into it, he’s just gone about his business and he hasn’t changed from Bahrain to Saudi, his approach or how he goes racing.”

Horner referred to the prospect of Verstappen beating Hamilton to this year’s ඣtitle as being akin to a "David v Goliath” upset in the BBC’s recent

“Well if you think of the size of Mercedes globally they must be one of the biggest automotive companies in the world,” Horner explai✅ned when asked if that comparison was a stretch. 

“The power that they wield with media around the world, I think we 𝕴pale into insignificance in comparison. As Lewis Hamilton indeed called us, 🅰we’re just an energy drinks company going racing.

“So no, I think that Mercedes - Mercedes Formula 1 Team - have become a machine over the last seven or eight years during their period of dominance and obviously have the weight and power of the parent company behind them, because I can’t believe it’s particularly comfortable being beaten by an energy drinks manufacturer as a major OEM. That’s never sat comfortably, we know that, it’s been made quite clear🥀 to us.

"We’re a team of racers, we’re going racing, we’ve got a phenomenal driver who has driven his heart out this year, and it’s been intense on track and off track. I do think that the spotlight, ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚeven the narrative of this last week of this Mad Max scenario, calling him cra♓zy, there’s been a very clear narrative.”