Red Bull boss slams Sergio Perez’s claims of bias against teammate Max Verstappen

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has scoffed at Sergio Perez's claims that the team has been biased towards Max Verstappen.

Ahead of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, Perez suggested that Red Bull favoured one racer over another in the past. He said that the team had two cars on the Formula 1 grid only because regulations called for them to field two drivers.

Perez had said:

"When I came to the team, things were very different, and basically, they were just going racing with two cars because they had to."

Team boss Horner expressed his surprise at Perez's comments and denied that the team only prioritised one driver before the Mexican joining them in 2021. He said (via gpfans):

"Well, that's the first I've heard him saying that. We always have run two cars since we entered the sport in 2005, and we always want to have the best two drivers that we can in the car, and I think it's great to see Checo doing certainly a great job now."

Citing examples of the team's previous driver pairings, the 49-year-old said that the Milton Keynes-based outfit has always provided its drivers with the "best equipment" and let them show their worth on the track:

"As a team, we've always strived to give both drivers the best opportunity and the best equipment we can. And then it's down to what they do on track and that's whether it's Max and Checo, or Daniel and Max or Daniel and Seb, Mark and Seb or even going back David Coulthard and Mark Weber. So that's the way we've always rolled, and it's down to what they do on the circuit at the end of the day that counts."

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'Same chance, same opportunity, same car" - Red Bull boss on dealing with Max Verstappen vs Sergio Perez'

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner previously promised to let his drivers fight it for the F1 title in 2023 in what could be an open race for the championship.

Speaking to Sky News, he said:

"For us, as a team, the responsibility is to give both drivers the same chance, the same opportunity, the same car - it's then down to what they do on the circuit. We've got two great drivers in Max and Sergio; there's a healthy respect between the two of the them. I expect that to continue."

Max Verstappen (69 points) leads the drivers' standings, with Sergio Perez (54 points) trailing him in second place. Red Bull (123 points) are atop the constructors' standings.