Horner sees the pressure growing on Red Bull: 'We really need him'

Christian Horner has stressed that Red Bull racing "really needs" Sergio Perez to perform to stop a slide in the F1 Constructors' World Championship. The Austrian team is now under serious pressure from Ferrari for second place.

Sergio Perez finished last out of the drivers from the top four teams (aside from Lewis Hamilton, who retired). Meanwhile, Ferrari finished first and second with Charles Leclerc taking the race win. Horner acknowledged the impressive performance from the Italian team. "Ferrari, again, congratulations to them this weekend. They've been very, very strong. They've got two drivers that are competing at the front. McLaren likewise, their drivers, there's not a big deficit between them," Horner said in the paddock.

He sees the pressure growing on Red Bull. "So that's where we really need for the constructors to have Checo come into play," Horner added.

The Mexican Grand Prix will take place next weekend. Horner hopes the home crowd will give Perez the boost he needs.

"Hopefully, with the support he will receive in Mexico, it will give him that boost. Obviously when you qualify out of position, you lose so much time coming through tail end cars in the top ten that you've then lost contact with the rest of the race," the Red Bull Racing boss concluded.