Christian Horner's response to Sergio Perez's Mexico GP shocker speaks volumes

Sergio Perez needs a beardown effect astatine the Mexican Grand Prix but qualified for his location contention down successful 18th spot arsenic helium wilted nether the unit astatine the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

Christian Horner said it was "massively disappointing" to spot Sergio Perez wilt nether the unit successful qualifying for his location race.

He volition commencement the Mexican Grand Prix from 18th connected the grid. It was Perez's 5th Q1 exit of the 2024 play truthful far, but his archetypal ever connected location soil, much to the disappointment of astir of those stood successful the grandstands astatine the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

In contrast, team-mate Max Verstappen was capable to steer the different Red Bull onto the beforehand row, beaten lone by pole-sitter Carlos Sainz. Asked astir what happened, team main Horner was frustrated astir that show chasm betwixt his 2 drivers.

He said: "We request to look into it, but the spread betwixt the 2 cars is significant. Obviously, it is massively disappointing for him successful beforehand of his location crowd, but I americium definite helium volition springiness it everything helium has got tomorrow. He has a batch of enactment to do."

Horner was people overmuch much pleased with Verstappen's enactment and predicted a fascinating contention connected Sunday. He added: "We are precise blessed with Max's show - helium dragged each spot of show retired of the car, peculiarly having mislaid retired connected astir of [Friday practice], to enactment it connected the beforehand row.

"Carlos is simply a prime operator and helium has looked accelerated each weekend. His agelong runs yesterday looked precise quick. It is simply a agelong tally down to crook 1 truthful the commencement is important and it is going to beryllium fascinating. The margins are truthful tiny present with the balance, 1 infinitesimal you are successful the window, the adjacent infinitesimal you are retired of the window. So I deliberation the look could beryllium truly fascinating."

Perez was glum aft trudging from the pit lane to the media pen aft the extremity of Q1 and spoke of his frustrating having wrestled with his uncompliant RB20 to nary avail. "I conscionable could not get connected apical of the car," helium lamented.

"I conscionable could not halt the car soon enough. I was putting excessively overmuch vigor into the tyres portion braking and that was the occupation for me. If we are capable to people immoderate bully points past it volition beryllium a tremendous effort - but it is going to beryllium precise hard from the presumption we are in."

Sky Sports F1 pundit Danica Patrick inactive believes Perez tin redeem himself successful the race, however. She said: "Sergio said helium needs to get the astir retired of the car - I bash not deliberation we cognize precisely what that is. Is it Max's level? Is that precisely it, oregon is it thing different? Because [Perez] has not been capable to get there.

"There is going to beryllium an vigor connected Sunday, the crowd, determination are already truthful galore radical present cheering for him. That volition marque a quality and, if helium tin get up to seventh oregon eighth, I deliberation that volition beryllium a large advancement day. He volition request to physique connected that and person a bully mates of races to decorativeness the season."