Red Bull needs Sergio Perez “to come into play” against very strong Ferrari and McLaren driver lineup, says Horner

Christian Horner believes Sergio Perez must elevate his performance to help Red Bull fend off the dual challenge of Ferrari and McLaren in the constructors’ championship. Speaking to media including Sportskeeda after the 2024 US GP, Horner noted that Red Bull’s rivals benefit from "strong" driver pairings, which his team needs from Perez.

Although Red Bull managed to reduce McLaren’s lead to 40 points in Austin, Ferrari’s one-two finish in Austin has put it just eight points behind Red Bull, threatening the latter's second-place position. Horner praised Ferrari for its strong race and emphasized that Red Bull needs Perez to step up, especially with the support of his home crowd in the upcoming race weekend in Mexico.

Asked by Sportskeeda if Ferrari’s resurgence and points gap worried Red Bull, Horner said:

“Ferrari, again, congratulations to them this weekend, they've been very strong and they've got two drivers that are competing at the front. And McLaren likewise, their drivers are...there's not a big deficit between them. So that's where we really need for the constructors to have Checo come into play.”

Asked if the championship standings added more pressure on Perez to deliver on home ground, Horner said:

“Hopefully, with the support he will receive in Mexico, it will give him that boost. So it yeah, when you qualify out of position, you lose so much time coming through tail end cars in the top 10 that you've then lost contact with the rest of the race.”

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Christian Horner on performance momentum in the championship shifting with every race

Christian Horner believes that team performance varies from circuit to circuit, with Ferrari showing exceptional strength at the 2024 USGP. He noted Ferrari’s upgrades in Singapore and Baku, where the street circuit layouts limited their full potential.

Following Qualifying in Austin, Charles Leclerc had mentioned that Ferrari anticipated a strong race performance, which proved true as he finished with a margin of 19 to 20 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. Horner expects Ferrari to remain competitive in the upcoming races.

Asked if he expected Ferrari to be strong in Mexico, Horner replied:

“The form is moving from day-to-day, circuit-to-circuit. I think Ferrari have bought performance here. They've looked very strong, particularly in the race trim. It was interesting. Obviously, they sacrificed, perhaps, a little in quality to benefit in the race. And I'm sure they'll be competitive in Mexico City.”

With Max Verstappen finishing third at the US Grand Prix, Red Bull kept hold of second place in the constructors’ championship. Currently, Ferrari trails it by just eight points, a gap that the Italian team can overcome over the next five races.

With McLaren and Ferrari both in strong form, the constructors’ championship battle is expected to be tight until the end. Both Red Bull and McLaren have confirmed they will introduce further upgrades for the upcoming races in Mexico and Brazil.