- Sergio Perez has been under pressure to perform for Red Bull.
- Christian Horner has urged him to improve his performance at the Spanish Grand Prix.
- Perez has struggled in recent races, failing to score significant points.
- Red Bull needs both drivers to perform well to stay competitive in the championship.
Sergio Perez has been feeling the heat from his team boss, Christian Horner, who has made it clear that Perez needs to step up at the Spanish Grand Prix. After some lackluster performances, Horner emphasized that Red Bull requires both drivers to score heavily in the races.
The season took an unexpected turn in Miami, where Red Bull’s dominance was challenged as Lando Norris managed to beat Max Verstappen to the finish line. This was followed by Max Verstappen alternating wins with McLaren and Ferrari over the next few races. Unfortunately for Perez, he failed to make it to the podium in any of these events and even crashed out of the last two races in Monaco and Montreal, starting both from 16th place and extending his streak of poor qualifying sessions.
Perez’s new contract with Red Bull, signed after his crash in Monaco but before the Montreal race, added another layer of pressure. Horner noted that various factors contributed to Perez’s troubles, including issues during qualifying and his struggle to adapt when the car isn’t performing well. Despite this, Horner remains confident in Perez’s abilities and expects a strong comeback in Barcelona. ‘Checo just needs to forget Canada 2024 and turn up in Barcelona and bounce back,’ said Horner.
Red Bull is also looking forward to introducing new parts for their car at the Spanish Grand Prix. Barcelona, described as a ‘wind tunnel’ by 1996 World Champion Damon Hill, will be the ideal track to test these upgrades, and it’s the beginning of the first triple-header of the 2024 season. According to Horner, ‘It’s all about iterations and of course you have to look very carefully where you bring your upgrades in through the year.’
Currently, Red Bull leads the Constructors’ Championship with 301 points, while Ferrari trails with 252 points. In the Drivers’ standings, Verstappen holds a 56-point lead over Charles Leclerc. The team’s success hinges on both drivers performing well, especially with the championship battle heating up.
Sergio Perez needs to step up his game in Barcelona to aid Red Bull’s championship aspirations.
