Sergio Perez has stated the entire Red Bull Formula 1 team has been “fully behind” Christian Horner amid recent comments from Jos Verstappen suggesting otherwise.
Red Bull Team Principal Horner had been under investigation following accusations of alleged inappropriate behaviour, but he was exonerated of the claims last week.
However, Max Verstappen’s father stirred the pot following the Bahrain Grand Prix when he declared that Horner’s ongoing involvement could “tear apart” the F1 team.
Perez believes that Red Bull’s 1-2 showing in the opening race proved that the off-track headlines hadn’t been a “distraction”, citing that he is focused on the racing side.
“I think it’s all behind us now, and we are, the whole team, we are a race team at the end of the day and we’re here to race, to focus and to deliver on track, off track, doing the work with the team back home,” Perez said. “You have to remember Red Bull is a huge team and our main focus is on the racing side. Simple as that.”
Jos Verstappen had also used the term “exploding” to describe the potential state of the team, but Perez reiterates that Red Bull’s start to the season dispelled that.
“I think right now, when you see the result we’ve just have, we finished one-two, we started the season with the right foot, I think the team is working well,” he said.
“There are still things we need to tidy up, on the race from Bahrain and that is where the main energy is going to.
“From my point of view that’s basically what I’m focusing on, which is on improving on what we did in Bahrain, and that’s the main objective for us.”
The Mexican would be withdrawn when pressed on the topic of ever having doubts on Horner’s leadership, though, adding he hadn’t kept updated with the news.
“I can only speak for the racing side, I don’t know what’s going on other than that,” he commented. “To be honest, I don’t follow that much.
“At the end of the day I’m a racing driver, this is what I come here to do. I get in the car and drive it as quickly as I can, as fast as I can, I prepare the very best I can, and then when I go home, I have a life out of the sport, so I haven’t really been part of what’s going on outside of the sport, so my main focus is to deliver on track.”
But when asked if Horner had his full support to continue in his role, Perez replied: “Yes, he does. And I think not only my support, the full team is fully behind him.
“He’s obviously a very important person in our organization, and the job he has done over the years speaks for itself.
“I think Christian is a key team player in this organization and I think he’s fully focused on the racing side.”
Perez was once again reticent when quizzed on whether he had been given assurances over Horner’s future, repeating that Red Bull’s talk had been on the past race.
“Basically we speak about the racing side, we are fully focused on it, we know that this is behind us,” he cleared up.
“Christian is our Team Principal and our CEO and everything is pretty much like it was before.
“To be honest, we basically speak about the race in Bahrain, how it went and how we can improve. That’s been the main focus for all of us.”
Perez did reveal that there had been “no difference” in the atmosphere in the team, with Red Bull continuing to function in the same manner across the turbulent period.
“All the meetings, all the racing side of the team, everything is still the same,” he continued. “You still talk to the same people, Christian was there in the strategy meetings, making his points. Everything just carried on as normal and I think that as a racing driver that’s what you’re focusing on.
“That’s my main objective for this team, for this organization, to focus on what we are here to do, which is to win the races.”
