Christian Horner Offers Sympathy to Sergio Perez for His ‘Unforgiving’ Red Bull Role: “Hardest Job There”

Sergio Perez knew being a teammate to an aggressive driver like Max Verstappen would be challenging. Despite that, throughout his three-year stint at Red Bull, Perez has attempted to do his job honestly. This season, Verstappen, as usual, outperformed his teammate and stands with a lead of 266 points over Perez. With the Dutchman having already won the championship with six races remaining, Perez has found himself in a difficult spot. Nonetheless, team boss Christian Horner understands the Mexican’s situation and has now expressed his sympathies to him.

Horner was recently reported by Formulapassion, providing some candid remarks about both of his drivers. When asked about the detriment of the 33-year-old in season 2023 in comparison to Verstappen, who has established ultimate domination, the 49-year-old responded, “Being Max’s teammate is probably the hardest job there is in the pit lane, because he operates at a very high level and doesn’t make any mistakes. The performance he has been exhibiting for three or four years would be difficult for any rider on the grid to match.”

 

Sergio Pérez gets his biggest vote of confidence yet from Christian Horner https://t.co/SYN8Aw9FnW

— SB Nation (@SBNation) October 22, 2023

Until the Miami Grand Prix, both Red Bull drivers were involved in a title fight. Although later, the 33-year-old failed to qualify in Q3 for five straight races, ending his chances of starting on a high note, while Verstappen set a new record by winning ten consecutive races.

Though Perez’s sorrow is noticeable, one mystery still remains: why the Mexican has suffered so badly in the second half of the season. The reason for this is Perez’s uncomfortable stint in the car that was assigned to him following the Spanish GP. While the team’s upgrades helped Verstappen, Perez continued to struggle.

Sergio Perez outlines his struggle in the Red Bull car

Sergio Perez has only collected 21 points in his last four races, making his time at Red Bull an uphill battle. Besides, with four races remaining, Perez is being pursued by Lewis Hamilton for his P2 spot. And the rumors suggest, if Hamilton successfully does that, Perez might lose his Red Bull seat, even before his contract expires next year. With his precarious situation, fans have kept wondering what has caused it.

So, during the Barcelona race, the Milton Keynes team tested a new floor for their RB19, which resulted in the balance of power shifting to Sergio Perez’s teammate, Max Verstappen. Given that the adjustment did not fit the Mexican driver, he requested it be changed.  However, the Austrian team refused his proposal. This unease has prompted the Mexican driver uncomfortable in the car.

Though the team has constraints in dismissing Perez’s request, many claim the Austrian outfit has built the car depending on Max Verstappen’s driving style. The quality attribute that distinguishes Veratppen’s abilities is his knack for managing with a relatively loose rear end while preferring a powerful front end for his car. This permits him to detect when the vehicle’s rear is approaching its limit. In addition, it gives him an extra point up front, allowing him to chuck into corners faster and harder than his opponents.

This natural driving style of the Dutchman enables him to get the most out of the Red Bull car, which is similarly nose-heavy. This is most likely why Perez, who struggles to control the rear end, has had trouble keeping up with Verstappen.

Though the Mexican isn’t the only one who has brought this up, as one of Verstppen’s old teammates has also done it. Without wishing to cast mockery on Red Bull, current Williams driver Alex Albon pointed out how the Red Bull cars have been designed to fit Verstappen’s driving style. “The car is set up in a unique way that is built around the lead driver, and that’s Max, and I totally understand why,” added the Thai driver.