Christian Horner has explained that Red Bull won't get too excited about their newly-gained championship lead, as he is very wary of an immediate response from Mercedes to the Brackley team's Monaco misery. Mercedes managed just a single car finish with Lewis Hamilton in seventh place in Monte Carlo, meaning Red Bull and Max Verstappen were free to pick up the race win and championship lead as Sergio Perez finished in fourth. But Horner has downplayed the situation, and said it was simply important to capitalise on Mercedes' issues. “There’s still a long, long way to go… But when [Mercedes] have an off day it’s important for us to bank a lot of points," Horner told Formula1.com. The next race might be a street track as well as F1 returns to Baku in Azerbaijan, but the characteristics of the circuit are the complete opposite to Monte Carlo with a monstrously long main straight. With Mercedes winning three races in Baku to Red Bull's one, Horner fears an immediate response from their title rivals. “I think Azerbaijan is a very different kind of street circuit to [Monaco],” said Horner. “Very long straights, and it’s been a strong track for Mercedes in the past. We’re not under any illusions, we are sure they are going to bounce back fast. We’ve got to go there and attack the weekend exactly as we have done at every race this season. “[We’re] leading both championships for the first time in the hybrid era, so that’s really encouraging. “But no one’s getting carried away. There’s still an awful long way to go in this championship – but to be as close as we are at this stage is encouraging.”
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