Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner reckons that Sergio Perez is being rewarded in the 2024 Formula 1 season for not focusing on team-mate Max Verstappen.
Perez entered the campaign under pressure to deliver to gain a contract extension amid a torrid season last term that saw him trail 290 points behind his team-mate.
However, the Mexican has sustained a strong start to the current season with four podium results – all second-place finishes to Verstappen – from the first five rounds.
While he has not replicated his two wins from the same period last term, Horner believes Perez is relishing having lower expectations placed on him this time around.
“You guys have a tendency to write him off but he is doing a great job,” Horner told Sky Sports F1 during the Chinese Grand Prix, where Red Bull clinched a 1-2 finish.
“He has come into this season with a new frame of mind, he is relaxed, he is driving the car really well.
“He is not focused on his team-mate, it is a different approach and in the first five races we’ve seen a really strong performance from him.
“He is driving well, his confidence is growing and hopefully he can convert that into another good result tomorrow.”
Perez, who endured eight absences from Q3 last season, has attributed his more consistent run in the nascent rounds of 2024 to having stopped “inventing” on set-up.
Horner has hinted that Perez has altered his approach for this season and has praised the manner in which he has responded to the mounting pressure on his position.
“He is an important part of the team and it is about working collectively and I think he has got a great engineering support around him and the team are doing a good job,” he added.
“He feels comfortable in the team. He knows he is out of contract at the end of this season and he is driving for his future.
“He responds to pressure in the best possible way and I think we see that with certain drivers with how they respond to pressure while others sometimes wilt.
“He has changed a few things in his approach and I think he is driving really well.”
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