
Red Bull’s Formula 1 team principal, Christian Horner, attributes Sergio Perez’s recent resurgence to a return to the fundamentals of racing. Perez narrowly missed a podium finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix, coming in just 0.053 seconds behind Fernando Alonso. Nevertheless, this performance marked his most competitive weekend since the Italian Grand Prix in September.
Red Bull believes that Perez’s recent improvement is genuine and can be traced back to the extensive progress he made during a three-day simulator session at the team’s Milton Keynes factory ahead of the United States Grand Prix.
Horner praised Perez’s driving during the Brazilian GP weekend, acknowledging a small hiccup at turn two but commending his efforts to maintain his position. Perez outscored Lewis Hamilton by 12 points during the weekend, securing a third-place finish in the sprint race and climbing from ninth on the grid to fourth despite a yellow flag during qualifying.
When asked about the specific changes that contributed to Perez’s improved performance with the RB19, Horner pointed to a renewed focus on the basics, which appears to be paying off for the Mexican driver.
Perez had previously felt that the pre-Austin simulator work had prepared him for podium-worthy performances with Red Bull, but he narrowly missed out on opportunities in both the USA and Mexico.
Nonetheless, Horner considered the Brazilian Grand Prix a significant weekend for Perez’s confidence. He expressed his belief that this was the Checo that they knew and that Perez’s strong performance would boost his morale heading into the upcoming races in Vegas, a street track where he has historically performed well, and Abu Dhabi, just one week later.