The F1 2023 season is approaching its business end, and Sergio Perez needs to beat Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers’ Championship if he is to keep his seat at Red Bull. Christian Horner has now revealed the “extra yards” the Mexican is putting in to meet his expectations for this season.
It would be unacceptable for Red Bull if Perez finishes anything less than second, as they have the fastest car on the current grid. Newly crowned three-time champion Max Verstappen has showcased the potential of the RB19 by winning 14 of the 17 races this season.
In stark contrast, Perez has won just two and had multiple DNFs. Hence, if the 33-year-old does not finish second in the championship, Red Bull could consider replacing him with Daniel Ricciardo, who has made his intentions abundantly clear of wanting the second seat at the Milton Keynes outfit sometime in the future.
Christian Horner reveals Sergio Perez has been “working overtime“
Ahead of the United States Grand Prix this weekend, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner revealed in an interview with Mirror how hard Sergio Perez has been working to overcome some of the issues he has struggled with this season. As quoted by gpblog.com, the 49-year-old stated that the Mexican has been “working overtime to stop the rot and get his season back on track.”
Horner then added how Perez is doing something he never did before in the 2023 season. “He was on the simulator for three days last week, which is not something he has ever done previously,” revealed Horner. The Briton believes that since the 33-year-old has been working extremely hard on the simulator, it will help the former Racing Point driver “to get to the root cause of some of the issues he felt he had in Qatar and Japan.”
However, despite all the widespread speculations about Perez’s future, the Red Bull management have claimed that the Guadalajara-born driver is under no threat of losing his seat. The management of the Milton Keynes outfit have made it clear that they are keen to support Perez in overcoming the struggles he has faced this season.
Helmut Marko reveals there is “no ultimatum” for Sergio Perez
In a recent interview with ORF, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko denied all the rumors that claimed that his side are considering sacking Sergio Perez amidst the Mexican’s poor form. The 80-year-old stated that there is “no ultimatum” for the former McLaren driver as Red Bull are currently “winning too much“.
Although Marko has claimed that Perez’s future is secure at Red Bull, it does not mean that the team cannot change their decision. The Milton Keynes outfit are likely to need a stronger partner for Max Verstappen next season if the grid becomes closer than it has been this year.
This season, there has been no stopping Red Bull as they sealed the Constructors’ Championship with six races to spare. The team has scored 657 points and has a whopping 331-point lead over second-placed Mercedes. Verstappen has contributed 433 of Red Bull’s points, while Perez has just managed to contribute 224.
Since there is such a significant difference between the two Red Bull drivers, Perez cannot afford to lose second place in the championship to Lewis Hamilton. As things stand, the Mexican is currently second and has a 30-point lead ahead over the Briton.
