Red Bull's Christian Horner urges Sergio Perez: 'Sort out Saturdays' for 2024 season
- Rob Fleming
- 12 December 2023
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has pinpointed Sergio Perez's Saturday struggles as the focal point for improvement in the upcoming 2024 campaign.
Despite a promising start with two pole positions and two victories in the opening five races, Perez's challenges mounted, especially during a five-race stint without a Q3 appearance from Monaco to Great Britain.
Horner, speaking to Sky Sports at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, acknowledged Perez's exceptional race-day performances but emphasized the need to rectify his subpar qualifying showings. "His race pace is there, his race craft is fantastic, he's probably overtaken more cars than anybody this year, but we just need him to be starting in the first four rather than ninth or 10th," Horner remarked.
Perez's inconsistency in qualifying impacted his championship campaign, allowing teammate Max Verstappen a smoother path to a third successive drivers' championship. Despite Perez finding a late-season resurgence, his average qualifying position during the final seven Grands Prix remained at 8.8, in stark contrast to Verstappen's four pole positions.
Horner highlighted Perez's recognition of areas for improvement and a commitment to a reset in approach for the upcoming season. "He knows it's a big year for him, and he'll take a bit of time this winter to reflect on where he needs to improve, and I'm sure he'll come back fighting next year," Horner affirmed.
Verstappen concluded the season with a substantial points lead over Perez, who aims to address his Saturday struggles during the break before the 2024 season. With Perez's contract set to expire at the end of 2024, Red Bull is looking for both drivers to contribute significantly to maintaining the team's recent success.
As the current F1 season concludes, teams and drivers prepare for the 2024 season, commencing with official pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir from February 23-25. The break offers Perez an opportunity to recalibrate, with Horner expressing confidence in the Mexican driver's ability to bounce back stronger next year.
