The Formula One season is only one grand prix old and already the hype and dismissive banter about a rival designed to demoralise has been triggered by Red Bull team chief Christian Horner.
His line-up is so used to being winners, but they lost the habit and their way and were humbled by McLaren in the season's opener in Australia last weekend.
Even as the tributes were being heaped on impressive victor Jenson Button for his coolly executed effort and example of bravery, speed and consistency, boss Horner, no doubt feeling dutiful, was moved to undermine McLaren's winning ways.
Horner is rarely given to taking a swipe at the opposition. After the rare defeat, with his wonderboy and double-champion Sebastian Vettel pushed back into the runners-up spot and Mark Webber dumped back to fourth, Horner reckoned it was not so much a case of McLaren winning as Red Bull losing.
Red Bull may have improved in the grand prix, but in qualifying they could achieve no better than fifth and sixth, which left their drivers with a lot of work to do to make up in the race.
Even so, Horner, unfazed if not deluding himself, insisted that his outfit is faster than McLaren. Silly or what on the evidence of the eventual line-up on the Melbourne podium?
"We made a good recovery and we had good pace in the race," he stressed. "We were right on the pace with the McLaren and could have been faster."
So, why weren't they? Were his drivers not up to the job? Fair question...
It is a point passed over, but is this a crucial hint from Horner? "Overall we made a good recovery. I think we underperformed rather than McLaren being overly strong. And that is the story. We can prove it next time we race."
We shall see...
The writer is a motorsport expert based in England.
