Red Bull Boss is Full of Praise for Sergio Perez After He Seals P2 in the Championship at Las Vegas Grand Prix

Red Bull Boss is Full of Praise for Sergio Perez After He Seals P2 in the Championship at Las Vegas Grand Prix

It was another unsatisfactory Qualifying session for Sergio Perez this season after a miscalculation on his team’s part forced him to start the Las Vegas GP from P10. However, the 33-year-old was unfazed by the challenge on an unfamiliar track and blitzed past the grid, much to the delight of Christian Horner.

 

After an impressive recovery drive in the 50-lap race, not only did Perez secure the final step on the podium, but also ensured a 1-2 finish for Red Bull in the drivers’ standings. Addressing the same, Horner was over the moon with the performance of the Mexican driver, as quoted in a report by RacingNews 365.

“I mean, what more can you ask for from your drivers and first and second enter in the Drivers’ World Championship? And his [Perez’s] form, his pace was right there again. The last two or three races, he’s really been finding his form again.”

For a while, Perez even took the lead in the race after overtaking Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and looked like he would be able to defend the lead for the remainder of the race. However, an impressive push from Leclerc and Max Verstappen saw the Guadalajara-born driver fall two places and settle for P3.

It was an important race for Perez, who has been under constant fire from critics, pundits, and experts following his suboptimal outings in the middle of the season. However, a superb drive in Sao Paulo, followed by another impressive drive in Las Vegas, saw the Mexican prove his naysayers wrong and earn the appreciation of his team principal.

Sergio Perez fends off the Hamilton challenge, but couldn’t hold off Leclerc

The backend of the 2023 season saw pressure being put on Perez from all aspects of the sport. Much of it came because of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who was closing in on a P2 position in the drivers’ standings, hoping to knock Perez off the silver medal position. However, the Mexican rose to the occasion when it mattered the most and was able to hand Red Bull their first-ever 1-2 finish in the drivers’ standings. With a gap of 41 points, Perez has taken an unassailable lead over his British challenger.

 

The gap could’ve been bigger if it weren’t for some excellent driving from Charles Leclerc in the dying moments of the race. The Monegasque kept himself within the DRS range against Perez and pulled off a spectacular move to overtake Perez at Turn 12 in the final lap of the race. Horner revealed Verstappen even dropped back a little to help tow Perez, but it wasn’t enough to keep Leclerc at bay.

Perez’s future at Red Bull has been a question mark for long, but the team has asserted that they will respect the Mexican’s contract. Despite the team being infamous for cutting driver contracts short, their top personnel have made it clear they will continue their associations with the Mexican until the end of the 2024 season.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Charles Leclerc Christian Horner Las Vegas GP Lewis Hamilton Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing Sergio Perez

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Naman Gopal Srivastava

Naman is an F1 writer at The SportsRush. Initially a football fanatic who worships Puyol and Leo Messi, Naman soon fell in love with the world of F1 upon reading about Jim Clarke. While the current era drivers do fascinate him, Naman still chooses to idolize Clarke and Ayrton Senna. When he is not busy watching the highlights of some of the greatest races of his idols, Naman can be found scribbling little snippets in his diary of poems or out in the town, exploring new places to eat.

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