Horner expresses dismay as Perez underperforms in Belgium, with crucial discussions set for Monday.
Christian Horner acknowledged that Red Bull faced another challenging race at Spa-Francorchamps. Max Verstappen started 11th and finished fourth following the disqualification of George Russell, while Sergio Perez, who started second, crossed the finish line in seventh place.
“It was a tough race today. We finished seven seconds behind the leader and overall, we struggled,” lamented Horner, who admitted that expectations had been higher.
“We’re a bit disappointed; we were expecting better. But overtaking was difficult. In the middle sector, we couldn’t make a difference because we were destroying the front tyres. What George did with worn tyres was incredible. A one-stop strategy wasn’t predicted.”
“There were some positives, however. Max minimised the damage and extended his lead over Lando, and Checo lost some positions but managed to set the fastest lap of the race. But it was a very tight race today.”
“We didn’t have a big pace difference today compared to others, but at Mercedes, I’m not sure they had planned a one-stop strategy, but it worked well for them with a one-two finish.”
“We have a lot to analyse as we approach the summer break. We continue to lead in both the constructors’ and drivers’ championships, but the convergence within the pack means that the gap is closing.”
“We will meet on Monday, as we always do before a break, and we will see how we can come back fighting stronger for the second half of the season.”
Perez to be Dismissed Next Week?
A meeting is set where the team will discuss the future of Perez, who could lose his seat after a series of very poor performances. Horner insists that the Mexican’s recent race will not impact the decision, but he also admits that changes are necessary, suggesting that decisions are imminent.
“We started from the front row with him, aiming to be third and fifth before the race. We finished fifth with Max, but not third with Checo. So, we obviously need to examine the data to understand where his pace dropped.”
“Today’s race will have no impact. With Checo, we obviously need both cars to score points. We can see that McLaren has taken, I think, another seven or eight points from us today in the constructors’ standings, and we need to stop this. We must bounce back after the summer break.”
“So, we need Checo. Yesterday, he was excellent in qualifying – unfortunately, today, it really didn’t work out. We need to see what happened, as we don’t want to drop from second to eighth, just as Lando didn’t want to go from fourth to sixth.”
Horner denied that the Red Bull meeting was called solely because of Perez’s challenging situation, although he admitted that the team needed both drivers to perform.
“We are always analysing, always looking at things. Yes, we have a meeting tomorrow, but it’s not just about Checo. There will also be other topics on the agenda, as we always do before the summer break.”
“So for us, extending Max’s lead before the summer break will allow him a better rest. For us, the focus is on the constructors. You know, we need to start reversing the trend as we come out of the break at Zandvoort.”
“Checo is an outstanding team player, a tremendous asset to the team. That’s why he was chosen. That’s why we brought him on board at the end of 2020 to partner with Max, and you know, he has won six, seven races for us. He was second in the World Championship last year, God knows how many podiums, it’s the most successful combination we’ve ever had in terms of a driver duo.”
“And then, what’s frustrating for everyone is that Checo is struggling because nobody wants to see him struggle. Everyone wants to see him succeed. You know, the team has been and is fully behind him. Everyone wants to see him succeed, because it’s painful to watch him in the situation he’s in.”
As rumours swirl about a possible mid-season swap amid the upcoming assessment, Horner is adamant that such an outcome is not desired at Red Bull.
“Nobody wants to make that decision. You know, it’s talked about every day, but within the team, we want to move forward. But we have to lay everything on the table, we’ll see.”
When asked about the disqualification of George Russell, Horner believes it was a strategic blunder by the Mercedes team: “In my view, it’s absolutely linked to his strategy. I’m sure he lost more than a kilo of unexpected rubber.”
“We saw it on Friday. But you also need to carry enough fuel for the sample, otherwise you’re using fuel as ballast. It’s really unfortunate for George, but it’s clearly a miscalculation.”
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Perez’s Future at Red Bull in Question on Monday Perez’s Future at Red Bull in Question on Monday. f1 2024 Perez’s Future at Red Bull in Question on Monday
