After a rather poor showing in Melbourne last month, Sergio Perez bounced back in style at the 2024 Japanese GP. He was good in qualifying, and in the race, finishing P2 in both, doing exactly what Red Bull expected him to. Noticing some of the heroic moves he made during the Grand Prix, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner spoke about how Perez looked like he “didn’t have any kids”.
The 130R in Suzuka is extremely tricky to navigate. It is named so because of its metric radius (as per F1’s official website) and a driver needs to be extremely bold and vigilant to complete a move in that part of the track.
The chances of a driver losing control and crashing in that part of the track are very high. Perez, however, had no regard for his safety while making some bold moves at 130R.
As reported by Motorsport Week, Horner said, “There were a couple of moments where I must admit, I had my eyes shut as he went into 130R… do you need to do it there? Can’t you wait until the straight? He didn’t look like he had three kids when he made that move!”
Those moves Perez made helped him secure a 1-2 finish for Red Bull by following Max Verstappen to the finish line. It was a strong weekend for the Milton-Keynes-based outfit, after a dismal Australian GP three weeks ago. For Perez, personally, too, this would be a huge boost in favor of his Red Bull future.
Sergio Perez etching closer to Red Bull safety?
Perez’s future with Red Bull has been a topic of discussion for over a year now. His inability to match Verstappen was the focal point of this discussion, but by now, it is clear that neither Red Bull nor Perez expects that to happen. The Austrian stable needs him to be the second-best on the grid, and so far, he is doing that this season.
He finished P2 in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and after a brief slump in Melbourne, he stood on the second step of the podium once again in Suzuka. Perez was happy with his performance, and Horner’s comments on his move at 130R, one of the circuit’s most infamous turns, is a sign that Red Bull has confidence in him.
2024’s silly season is expected to have surprises in store. Drivers could make moves no one anticipates, so Perez’s future is by no means guaranteed. However, if he continues performing at the level he is at right now, it will be difficult for Horner and Co. to look away from the Mexican driver.
