Imola (Italy) (AFP) - Team boss Christian Horner praised both drivers and the Red Bull team on Sunday after Max Verstappen rekindled his title defence by leading Sergio Perez home in a 1-2 triumph at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Horner said his squad had taken an aggressive approach to the weekend and it had paid off after their disappointing results earlier in the season.

“It was just the rebound we needed after the disappointment of Australia a couple of weeks ago,” said Horner.

Verstappen failed to finish in Melbourne although Perez was second to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

“It was a phenomenal performance because we took a bit of a risk with a couple of small parts we introduced on the car.

“But we attacked the weekend from the word go and both drivers have been unbelievable. Both Max and Checo have driven brilliantly this weekend and that 1-2 finish is all credit to the team.

“Picking ourselves up after Australia, to come back with a result like this here in Imola is one of our best-ever results.”

Verstappen’s second win this year lifted him to second behind Leclerc in the title race and completed a rare ‘grand slam’ by taking pole position, winning the sprint race, clocking fastest lap and winning the Grand Prix.

“It’s always tough to achieve something like that, but already yesterday, and the day before, we were on it and it was looking like a strong weekend for us,” said the 24-year-old Dutchman.

It was Red Bull’s first one-two finish since the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix.

“For the championship, obviously, it was important for us to take some points off Ferrari, which we’ve done in both championship tables,” added Horner.

“We’ll take that out of this weekend and then try and build on it in Miami, an all-new circuit, in a couple of weeks’ time.”