Christian Horner: Pressure off Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen dominates Formula 1 championship

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes that Sergio Perez will feel the pressure ease off him due to the significant points gap in the Formula 1 Drivers' Championship.

Following Max Verstappen's triumph at the Spanish Grand Prix, he now holds a commanding 53-point lead over Perez, whose poor performances in Melbourne and Monaco contributed to his deficit.

Horner expressed his belief that Perez now has nothing to lose, as Red Bull continues to chase their elusive 1-2 finish in the championship, an accomplishment narrowly missed in 2022 when Charles Leclerc outpaced Perez to secure second place.

"If you look at the points now, and there's a big split between the two of them, I think, if anything that should take pressure off him. And he has nothing to lose now," Horner conveyed during an interview with Sky Sports.

"He needs to relax. He can breathe out and just drive as we know he's capable of, as he demonstrated in Azerbaijan and earlier races this year."

Verstappen's dominant performance since the Miami GP, where he secured consecutive victories with a comfortable margin exceeding 20 seconds, has put him in a league of his own, according to Horner. The Red Bull boss believes that challenging the Dutchman's supremacy will prove to be an arduous task for any competitor.

"There is not a driver out there today that would beat Max in that car. He's [Perez] up against a driver that is at the top of his form," Horner asserted.

"Mentally, it's a really tough thing for Checo to deal with. But now, with the significant points difference, the pressure and expectations he places upon himself might ease off a bit."

"He needs to let go of that now and just be free to drive," concluded Horner.

The upcoming Formula 1 event is the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, scheduled for June 16-18.