Horner puts pressure on Pérez: 'We need him to be in the game'

Four points in three Grands Prix: this is the sad dynamic of Sergio Pérez in recent weeks. The Mexican, yet extended until the end of 2026 at the beginning of June, was again transparent during the Spanish Grand Prix, with a distant 8th place. At the same time, his teammate Max Verstappen signed a seventh victory in 2024. Poor performances which follow one another at the worst time, since the competition – made up of McLaren, Ferrari et Mercedes – tickles, even surpasses the Austrian team.

One against two, Red Bull is losing ground in the Constructors' Championship: over the last four performances, it is McLaren which has scored the most points (113 points for McLaren, 91 for Red Bull). And the trend is not in favor of the team based in Milton Keynes : the exploits of Max Verstappen may no longer be enough, he who was again beaten in qualifying on Saturday, by Lando Norris.

Without a second efficient driver, Red Bull puts itself in danger and Christian Horner is well aware of this. At the end of the Spanish Grand Prix, the main director of the Austrian team put a little pressure on Sergio Pérez to raise his level of play. “We need Checo to be in the game. He knows it and the team knows it too, recalls the British leader. If he's at the back of the top eight we lose strategic options, you can't split your strategies... Checo was fantastic in the first four or five races of the year. We just need to get him back into that mindset. »

Pérez, confidence regained after Spain?

Despite a solid start to the season – with six Top 5s and four podiums in the first six Grands Prix of the year – Sergio Pérez has collapsed since the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, and his contract renewal has not been caused by a start.

“I think he had a few tough races and things didn't go the way he wanted., adds Christian Horner. He is a driver who has confidence in himself, and I think he will have regained a little confidence… He is back in the points [in Spain], he had a decent race. I hope he will gain confidence from this for the following races. » 

Sergio Pérez will have to quickly forget his recent misadventures, since the circus of Formula 1 does not stop with this weekend, the Austrian Grand Prix (June 28-30). On Red Bull grounds, the Mexican will once again be scrutinized by his superiors. A new poor performance at Spielberg could well give some regret to the leaders of the Austrian team, just a few weeks after the 34-year-old driver's contract extension.

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