Sergio Perez lost second place in the drivers’ championship to Charles Leclerc on Sunday, after a disappointing performance throughout the weekend at Imola. Red Bull struggled to find the right settings for the Mexican’s RB20.
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Sergio Perez has yet to beat Max Verstappen in qualifying, nor lead a single race ahead of him this season, but his performance deteriorated markedly at Imola where he failed to reach Q3, unlike the two Racing Bulls cars. A first this season. On Sunday, he finished eighth after a trip to the gravel trap. He finished 55 seconds behind his Red Bull teammate.
Despite this, Christian Horner is not concerned about this setback, calling it “just a moment of slack”. “Our simulations said before the race that seventh place was potentially optimal [en supposant] that nothing was happening, no safety cars or anything”said Horner, with the race running smoothly. “He had a stint in the gravel that cost him about six seconds, but I think that was about the most he could get from that grid position today. »
The below-expected performance comes as Perez’s future at Red Bull remains uncertain for the 2025 season. Horner admitted the timing was unfortunate for his driver, but was keen to highlight the bigger picture: “There are 24 races on the calendar. He started the year well, his approach was very strong and he changed his approach this year. Today’s result was dictated by yesterday’s qualifying. »
Both Racing Bulls drivers, Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo as well as Carlos Sainz, among others, are vying for Sergio Perez’s seat. Horner added that “We know exactly where we stand and what our options are. At the appropriate time, we will make decisions about the future. »
When asked how close Red Bull were to finalizing the terms of a new contract with Perez and if it was just a matter of signing, Horner made it clear that any possible deal was not simply waiting to be signed: “Checo is always a very easy guy to deal with, so I don’t expect that to be a problem. »
#French
