Reflecting on Crimson Bull’s determination to increase Sergio Perez’s contract in the beginning of the present season, the Milton Keynes-based outfit’s staff boss Christian Horner has acknowledged that it has been a mistake.
Having struggled for pure tempo within the majority of the qualifying classes this 12 months, Sergio Perez’s future at Crimson Bull has been hanging within the stability for lengthy months.
The Guadalajara-born driver joined Crimson Bull in 2021, and helped his team-mate Max Verstappen win his first championship title that 12 months, enjoying a pivotal function on the title-deciding 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Nevertheless, he has didn’t ship a constant efficiency during the last couple of years. Perez has gained 5 races with Crimson Bull, and completed second within the Drivers’ Championship final 12 months, however he has endured intervals throughout which he merely struggled for outright tempo in qualifying.
After a powerful begin to the the 2024 season, Crimson Bull elected to increase his contract by an extra two years which might see Perez race for the Milton Keynes-based outfit till at the very least the tip of the 2026 F1 season. Nevertheless, the Mexican struggled for tempo after his contract extension.
Requested why Crimson Bull elected to increase Perez’s contract so early within the season, Horner has acknowledged that it was a mistake because it didn’t work in the way in which the staff had hoped for.
“Effectively, clearly on the time, Sergio was performing extraordinarily effectively. I believe he had 4 podiums within the first 5 races. And to be able to settle his thoughts and lengthen that run of type for the remainder of the season, we elected to go early, which clearly did not work. So, that is simply life generally.
“And I believe Checo, it’s a must to look past this 12 months for the contribution that he is made to our staff. He is been an excellent staff participant. He is an excellent particular person. He is extraordinarily well-liked throughout the staff. He is labored very laborious over the 4 years that he is been with us.
“And, yeah, he is performed an important function within the Constructors’ Championships that we have gained, the 5 Grand Prix victories that he had in our automotive. It has been essentially the most profitable pairing that we have ever had ending first and second within the Drivers’ Championship final 12 months. So I believe no one extra is annoyed with the outcomes than Checo, from his personal excessive requirements.
“And that is clearly been painful for him, for the staff and we have labored tremendously laborious to attempt to help him and we’ll proceed to take action,” Horner concluded.
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