Perez has confronted his fair proportion of difficulties as Max Verstappen’s team-mate all through 2023, and he has did not win a race within the dominant RB19 because the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
His struggles have at instances prompted questions on Purple Bull probably looking for a strategy to terminate the contract he has for 2024 and slot a substitute in.
Hypothesis on that entrance has additional been fuelled by recommendations that Purple Bull’s mindset on the matter shall be determined by whether or not or not Perez finishes runner-up to Verstappen within the F1 title chase.
However Horner insists that’s not the case, and says that whereas Purple Bull would really like nothing greater than Perez to complete runner-up, his seat for subsequent 12 months is assured regardless of what occurs.
“There isn’t any pre-mandate like that,” stated Horner when requested if Perez’s future rested on ending second.
“We have by no means completed first and second in a championship. We completed first and third a number of instances with Mark [Webber] and Sebastian [Vettel] and we completed it final 12 months with Max and Checo.
“So, with this automobile, it could be implausible, in such a season that we have had, if we might end first and second.
“However there isn’t any pre-mandate on Checo that you need to end second otherwise you will not be driving the automobile subsequent 12 months. That is by no means been mentioned.”
Helmut Marko, Marketing consultant, Purple Bull Racing, Christian Horner, Staff Principal, Purple Bull Racing, Sergio Perez, Purple Bull Racing
Picture by: Lionel Ng / Motorsport Images
Horner stated that Purple Bull needed nothing greater than to see Perez return to the form of type he confirmed earlier within the 12 months when he was battling Verstappen for wins within the opening part of the marketing campaign.
“We all know Checo,” he stated. ”For those who see Checo’s performances within the first a part of the 12 months: Bahrain, was very, very tight with Max.
“The race in Saudi, it was an awesome race between the 2 of them pushing one another actually arduous, with very high-quality margins.
“His race in Azerbaijan, profitable the dash and the grand prix there. These are the sorts of performances that we all know he is able to.
“I believe it is simply getting him again into that thoughts body and to get probably the most out of him to get him again to these ranges of performances.”
Whereas Horner has stated there isn’t any doubt about Perez remaining with Purple Bull in to 2024, past that the squad was fairly relaxed about issues.
“We’re definitely not wanting choices,” he defined a few determination for 2025. “In fact, we have loads of time to look and consider that, however there’s so many elements concerned.”
Requested if there have been any issues, nonetheless, of Purple Bull struggling to search out somebody who was keen to go up in opposition to Verstappen in the identical automobile, Horner was clear it could not be an issue.
“To beat Max, you have to beat him someway,” he stated. “I believe the quantity of curiosity that we’ve in being a Red Bull Racing driver in 2025, we’re definitely not wanting choices.”