Christian Horner Confident in Sergio Perez Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix

• F1

In a recent interview, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner expressed unshakeable confidence in team driver Sergio Perez, dismissing the Mexican's recent string of less-than-stellar qualifying runs as a minor hiccup soon to be forgotten.

Horner is optimistic that the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix will see Perez back at his best.

A Sure Bet in Budapest

Despite Perez's struggles in the qualifying rounds, Horner believes the Hungarian Grand Prix will mark a turnaround in his fortune.

The team boss candidly stated, “He just needs to break it now. He’ll do it in Budapest, I’m confident”. Horner’s faith in Perez isn't baseless. He noted some of the driver's remarkable performances in recent races, such as the impressive manoeuvre on Carlos Sainz at Silverstone. "The way he races...

I mean, some of his moves in the race [at Silverstone], the one particularly on Carlos Sainz, was quite stunning into Stowe. If you look at his pace in the final stint, he was right there," Horner stated. The Red Bull boss acknowledged the frustration that Perez must be feeling.

Despite his strong race day performances, the qualifying difficulties have continually forced the Mexican driver to make up ground during the actual race. However, Horner firmly believes that Perez will soon find his momentum again.

Mental Fortitude in the World of Sports

Horner reflects on the mental toughness required in sports, arguing that a significant chunk of performance is psychological. "As in sport, all sport, 90% of it is in the head and I think he just needs a good run, and he’ll find his momentum again,” he said.

While expressing the need for Perez to improve his Saturday qualifying, Horner admitted that as a team, they are consistently striving for perfection and are focused on providing the necessary support to their driver.

Unwavering Team Support

But perhaps what is most noteworthy is the continued support for Perez from his team.

Stressing that the whole team is rallying behind Perez, Horner added, “I think he’s the type of guy that just needs an arm around his shoulder. You work with him and that’s what we’re doing." "We’re supporting him, we know he can do it, we know he’ll get back there, and we’re just trying to make sure it happens as quickly as possible."