Will patience with Perez end? 'We need two drivers who are top performers'

Of course, there were the questions about Max Verstappen. About his phenomenal weekend in Qatar, about how the now three-time world champion had handled the tough conditions. Yet the most questions Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing team boss, received after the Qatar Grand Prix (again) about Sergio Perez. The Mexican saw a nice result go down the drain because of two penalties after constantly exceeding the track limits.

They are words Horner has uttered so many times; "we are standing behind him," and, "we know what he is capable of." Yet in Qatar, Perez was not at all the driver Horner believes he has the potential to be. Place ten was his, while teammate Verstappen drove to victory. How is it that Perez falls through the ice time after time?

"I think with a car like we have, he's probably putting that pressure on himself," Horner told GPblog and others. "The most important thing for us is winning both the championships. We’ve done that. What's the next best thing after that? It would be to have both your drivers first and second. You can see Mercedes have a pair, McLaren have a pair, and Ferrari have a pair, which are quite tight between the respective drivers. We've had that at the earlier point in the year but as the season has gone on, it's become more variant and we just need to get Checo back to the best form that he's capable of."

Horner: 'Sport at the highest level is a mental game'

Horner certainly does not write off Perez outwardly: "Sport at the highest echelon is always a mental game as much as a physical game. I think that Checo mentioned that he's working with a coach in that area and I think that's what we need to unlock with him to give him his confidence."

For Red Bull Racing, it is important to have two drivers who take points structurally. In 2023, probably the points Max Verstappen conquers on his own would already be enough for the constructors' title. But the competition is getting closer and closer in terms of performance. It could just be that Red Bull will need Perez much harder next season in the fight for the constructors' title.

'Red Bull needs strong Perez'

Horner realises this very well: "The frustration is that we know what Checo has been capable of doing and of course last year and this year he's contributed significantly to the Constructors' Championship. I think that we desperately want him to find that form and as a team we need him to. We can't afford to have a big split because if, as you would expect, the grid continues to concertina next year, we need both drivers delivering at the top of the game."

Red Bull is known for being very harsh if someone fails to perform. There are lots of examples of drivers mid-season being fired. It is easy to imagine that at some point the patience about Perez may run out. Asked about that, Horner does not want to use big words. "As I say, we're going to give all the support that we possibly can for Checo to find his form. You guys will beat him up enough, I'm sure, but we really want to see him achieve what we know he's capable of."