Red Bull hope to fix Sergio Perez's performance struggles

Despite speculation that Perez might be replaced during the summer break, Red Bull have decided to keep him as Max Verstappen's teammate for the rest of the 2024 Formula 1 season.

This decision comes as Perez faces a significant slump, threatening Red Bull's defence of the constructors' championship. The 33-year-old Mexican driver has scored only 28 points in the last eight races, a stark contrast to Verstappen's 141 points.

This disparity has allowed McLaren to close the gap to within 42 points of Red Bull at the top of the standings.

Following the Belgian Grand Prix and ahead of a meeting to discuss Perez's future, Horner outlined the team's expectations for Perez as the season prepared to resume with the Dutch Grand Prix later in the month.

"The priority is to support Checo and understand what he needs," Horner stated. "We all want him to turn it around. We all want to see him deliver."

Horner emphasized the importance of both cars performing well, recalling the team's strong start to the year. "He's as acutely aware as anybody that we need both cars performing, which is what we had at the beginning of the year, and that's where we need to get back to," he added.

A key factor in retaining Perez is his loyalty and role as a supportive deputy to Verstappen. Perez has proven himself to be a reliable team player, aiding Verstappen when needed and maintaining a harmonious team dynamic.

The potential promotion of drivers like Liam Lawson, Daniel Ricciardo or Yuki Tsunoda might have disrupted this balance, even if it could boost the constructors' championship hopes.

"Of course, you take so many things into consideration, but there's been a great partnership between the two of them," Horner remarked on the relationship between Verstappen and Perez. He praised Perez as a "massive team player," recalling why they brought him into the team at the end of 2020.

"He's won six, seven races for us [actually five], was second in the world championship last year, and has scored numerous podiums. It's been the most successful combination we've had as a driver pairing," Horner noted.

The team felt the frustration of Perez's struggles, as everyone wanted to see him succeed. "The team has been and is right behind him. Everybody wants to see him succeed because it hurts seeing him in the situation that he is," Horner concluded.

The current Formula 1 season is on its summer break until Friday, 23 August, providing a crucial period for Perez to regroup and prepare for the challenges ahead.