Red Bull indebted to Sergio Perez, Christian Horner explains: “We wanted to help him”. Christian Horner has once again spoken about Mexican driver Sergio Perez.

In 2024, the Austrian team finished third in the Constructors’ Championship, 77 points behind McLaren. Beyond Red Bull’s decline, this disappointing result was also attributed to Sergio Perez’s poor performance. Here are Horner’s thoughts on the now-former Red Bull driver.

Already in 2023, Sergio Perez had significant difficulties compared to Max Verstappen. From the fifth race of the season until the end, all of Red Bull’s victories were secured by the Dutch driver. In 2024, the comparison became even harsher: the drop in Red Bull’s car performance made the differences between the two drivers even more evident.

Red Bull faced heavy criticism during the season for keeping Perez in the team. That decision ultimately cost Horner’s team not only the first position in the Constructors’ Championship but also the second, which went to Ferrari.

The Red Bull team principal analyzed Sergio Perez’s 2024 season. Despite not winning, the number 11 driver had a strong start but saw his performance collapse after Monaco. Horner went on to discuss the championship’s outcome, admitting disappointment over the gap to the two teams ahead.

“It’s something we tried to understand, and we worked hard with Sergio to help him solve some of the issues he was having. But it was very costly in terms of lost points in the Constructors’ Championship.”

Could Red Bull have handled the Mexican driver differently? Christian Horner said, “It’s always easy to look back in hindsight, and it’s impossible to know what anyone else would have done in that car.”

There was another reason Sergio wasn’t replaced: the team believed in his potential, given his past performances, where he proved to be both fast and an excellent team player. “Look at what Sergio has done for us over the last four years. We really wanted to help him turn his season around.” – he pointed out.

The Red Bull team principal concluded by recalling a historic moment for both Red Bull and F1: Max’s championship win, which was also made possible by the Mexican’s teamwork. “He played a key role in the 2021 Drivers’ Championship. So there was loyalty in really trying to help Checo. But, unfortunately, it didn’t work out.”