Perez is coming off the again of a tough spell with Purple Bull that prompted hypothesis his place alongside Max Verstappen on the squad could possibly be unsure for 2024, regardless of him having a contract.
These theories had been additional fuelled after the Mexico Grand Prix the place Horner mentioned it was the staff’s “intention” to maintain Perez for subsequent season.
Using that particular phrase was intriguing as a result of it’s typically utilized in F1 to cryptically to counsel one factor is going on whereas the fact is one thing else is at play.
Talking in Mexico Metropolis about Perez’s future, Horner had mentioned: “Checo has an settlement with us for subsequent 12 months and that’s our intention, for him to be within the automobile in 2024.
“We’ll give him all of the assist we will to make sure that he finishes second [in the drivers’ championship] however there’s no prerequisite that if he doesn’t end second, you’re out.”
Requested by Autosport in Brazil if there was something important in his selection of the phrase “intention”, Horner made it clear there was little question that Perez can be with the staff subsequent 12 months – and it was solely circumstances past the staff’s management that may imply he wouldn’t be.
“I’m completely assured and clear that Checo will probably be our driver subsequent 12 months,” defined Horner.
“Now, if he was injured or one thing like that, there are circumstances past our management. However the clear plan and subsequently the clear intention is that he’ll proceed.
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Sergio Perez, Purple Bull Racing, along with his engineer and Christian Horner, Workforce Principal, Purple Bull Racing
“We’re planning to proceed. We now have introduced the AlphaTauri drivers, we’ve our Red Bull racing drivers. That’s how we intend to go racing in 2024.”
Whereas Horner has discovered himself having to continuously deny hypothesis that Perez’s future is unsure, he’s adamant that the continuous rumours haven’t had an influence on Purple Bull.
“It hasn’t as a result of it is solely noise on the skin. On the within every little thing is all the time clear,” he mentioned.
Nonetheless, he acknowledged that it will have been unattainable for Perez to utterly isolate himself from issues – though he thinks the Mexican is able to coping with such chatter.
Requested if it affected Perez, Horner mentioned: “I am certain it does. However I feel what we have seen with him, and one in all his strengths is, he has a really thick pores and skin.
“Many occasions he is picked himself up, brushed himself and obtained again up once more. So hopefully he is doing the identical now.”