Christian Horner offers Sergio Perez his full support to bounce back and challenge Max Verstappen in 2023
Sergio Perez has scored a podium finish since the Miami GP despite having the fastest car on the grid.
Sergio Perez image via PlanetF1, Christian Horner image via Irish Mirror, Max Verstappen image via The Guardian
Sergio Perez won two races at the start of the 2023 F1 season. The Mexican driver aimed to challenge Max Verstappen for the world title this season. However, the 33-year-old has struggled in the last few rounds of the season with three consecutive Q2 knockouts. Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner is adamant that the team will provide all the necessary support Sergio Perez needs to turn things around.
The 49-year-old believed that a good race weekend would lift the spirits of the Mexican driver. Horner mentioned that the poor qualifying results in the last three races had pressured Perez on race days, with the 33-year-old inevitably falling behind. However, Christian made it clear that Perez remains no slouch in F1. He said, “We’ve seen what Checo is capable of only a month or two ago”.
The Red Bull team boss was convinced that a good race to ensure that Checo would bounce back. Christian Horner stated, “I’ve got no doubt he’ll be back.” The 49-year-old highlighted that Sergio is the only driver, besides Verstappen, who has won races this season.
Christian further mentioned that Milton Keynes would give its driver all the support he needs in this rough patch to get Sergio Perez back at the front of the grid. Horner concluded, “So yeah, we need to support him through this period. And I’m sure he’ll find his form again soon.”
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Sergio Perez is miles behind Max Verstappen in 2023
Max Verstappen is set to have one of the most dominant seasons in F1 history. The 25-year-old has led every single lap of the last three races, something that was last achieved by Sebastian Vettel in 2012. The Dutch driver has won all but two races of the season, showcasing his masterclass to critics. Perez, on the other hand, has fallen miles behind his teammate.
Checo last got a podium at the Miami GP earlier this year and now trails behind Verstappen by a whopping 69 points. This has severely hampered the Mexican driver’s championship hopes, with many even questioning Perez’s place at Red Bull Racing. Subsequently, Sergio is under immense pressure to improve his results in the upcoming season rounds.
Thus, Christian Horner has made it clear that Red Bull is willing to help out Sergio Perez to get things back on track. The 33-year-old has struggled in the last three races and must step up to secure his seat at Milton Keynes. Although, it remains to be seen if Perez can truly turn things around and put some pressure back on Max throughout this season.
In case you missed it:
- Christian Horner opens up about fulfilling Red Bull’s ambitions after winning first race in F1
- Daniel Ricciardo is the ‘obvious’ choice to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull, claims Ted Kravitz
Armaan Agarwal
(2308 Articles Published)