Christian Horner defends Sergio Perez signing after Canada crash

Christian Horner, the Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, remains unwavering in his support for Sergio Perez following a challenging Canadian Grand Prix, where adverse conditions and a crash saw the Mexican driver retire prematurely. Despite this setback, Horner is optimistic about Perez’s comeback, urging him to “come back strong in Barcelona,” as the team eyes crucial points in the constructors’ championship.

Perez’s unfortunate exit from the race marks his second consecutive non-finish, placing him under considerable pressure to match or exceed the performances of his teammate, Max Verstappen, who claimed victory at the same event. This juxtaposition within the team underscores the growing disparity in their performances, highlighting the urgent need for the reigning champion’s teammate to improve his contributions to Red Bull’s championship aspirations.

In a post-race interview with Sky Sports F1, Horner outlined the sequence of difficulties faced by Perez, particularly noting the early race damage that compromised his car. He explained, as quoted by GPBlog:

“It was a horrible weekend for Checo and obviously, we picked up some damage [at the start]. He’ll need to come back strong in Barcelona. Thankfully Ferrari had a shocker today, so they didn’t get any points. That let us off the hook somewhat, but we need both cars scoring. We got away with it today, but we need Checo back up where he was at the beginning of the year, from Barcelona onwards.”

The Canadian GP was marred by inclement weather, creating treacherous driving conditions that led to Perez’s crash due to hitting the wet line on the turn. The crash not only ended his race but also led to a pending steward’s meeting regarding the safety of continuing with a damaged vehicle. Despite these challenges, Horner praised his driver for his resilience, a trait that has defined his tenure at Red Bull. He continued:

“What we see with him time and time again, you think he’s on the ropes and then he bounces accessibly back. He’s a tough racer. He’s a tough character. I think it hurts him more than anybody else. He’ll be determined to come back and show everybody the form we know he’s capable of and showed in the first four races of this year in Barcelona.”

Perez’s recent performances have seen a notable dip, with only four points accrued in the past three races—a stark contrast to his earlier form this season. This points drought comes at a critical juncture for Red Bull, striving to maintain its competitive edge in the constructors’ standings.

Looking ahead to the races in Barcelona, all eyes will be on Perez to harness his proven ability to rebound from adversity and deliver performances that reflect his early-season vigor.