Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner outlines that Sergio Perez must improve his one-lap performance next season to ensure he obtains a new contract for 2025.
Perez had closed to within only six points of Max Verstappen after winning two of the opening four races of the 2023 campaign.
But Perez was unable to capitalise on starting eight places higher than his team-mate in Miami before enduring a slump of failing to reach Q3 at five straight events.
The Mexican ended the season 290 points behind Verstappen, who secured the title with six races to spare, prompting rumours that he could be set to lose his Red Bull seat.
Although Perez will begin his fourth consecutive season alongside Verstappen in 2024, Horner has stated Red Bull has both “internal” and “external” options beyond that.
Asked on Sky F1’s end-of-season-review if next year was Perez’s most crucial season with the team, Horner said: “It is, but Checo works best when he’s under pressure, that’s what I’ve seen with him in his time with us.
“You know, he’s in the seat, it’s his seat to lose and I think there’s nothing preset for 2025, and we need him firing on all cylinders at 24 races next year to be scooping up the points, delivering race wins.
“Because for sure if it becomes more competitive, we can’t afford to have a big offset between him and Max. He’s aware of that, he knows he needs to deliver.”
Perez recovered from a torrid run of five points in three rounds between Singapore and Qatar to claim second place in the standings with one race still remaining.
But with the six-time grand prix winner only delivering two podiums after the summer break, Horner has declared that Perez must address his lacklustre qualifying speed.
“I think the last few races he’s had a bit of a reset,” Horner reflected. “His pace, when you look at the analysis through [the Abu Dhabi] weekend, again was very, very strong.
“He’s just got to sort his Saturdays out. His race pace is there, his race craft is fantastic, he’s probably overtaken more cars than anybody this year, but we just need him to be starting in the first four rather than ninth or 10th, whatever his average has been over the last few races.”
With Horner expecting Red Bull to be challenged more from the outset in 2024, he has stressed the need for Perez to be competing at the sharp end more regularly.
“We’ve just got to work harder,” Horner admitted. “Because we need him firing on all cylinders at 24 races next year because the competition will move closer.
“So we need both drivers as tightly bunched as we can in order to ensure that we do our utmost to defend both titles.”
