F1 News: Christian Horner Confirms Sergio Perez's Red Bull Future Beyond Summer Break

Christian Horner publicly supports Sergio Perez, confirming his continued role at Red Bull Racing despite recent speculation and concerns about his performance relative to teammate Max Verstappen.

May 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez (11) reacts on the grid after the F1 Sprint Race at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has affirmed that Sergio Perez will continue as a vital part of the team beyond the summer break. Amidst concerns regarding Perez's recent performances, Horner, speaking at the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes to hundreds of team employees, declared unwavering support for the Mexican driver.

The team chief commented, as quoted by De Telegraaf:

"Checo remains a Red Bull Racing driver, despite all the speculation of late. We look forward to seeing him perform at circuits where he has previously performed well, after the summer break."

While Verstappen has amassed 141 points in the last eight races, Perez scored just 28, contributing to McLaren’s narrowing of the gap in the constructors' championship race. Team insiders revealed that internal discussions, involving Horner and Red Bull’s top advisor, Helmut Marko, concluded firmly in Perez's favor, despite some consideration of other drivers, such as Liam Lawson and Daniel Ricciardo, as replacements.

Verstappen defended his teammate's capabilities after the Belgian Grand Prix, attributing some of the challenges to broader technical issues within the team rather than individual performance. He commented to the media:

"I think our biggest concern is the car and that's what we need to focus on. I think Checo's weekend was positive. And during the race you can just see that we still have problems with the tyres and the wear on them. I think our main priority should be to see how we can improve that."

A formal announcement is yet to be made by the team, however, as the Mexican driver has already signed a two-year contract extension with the team on a 1+1 basis, they may not publicly confirm this until after the summer break.