Perez made an impressive comeback in the Spanish Grand Prix, moving up from 11th place to finish in eighth position. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes that Perez should find some confidence in his performance, despite not finishing higher.
Leading up to the Barcelona race, Perez had struggled, only earning four points in the past three rounds. Although he managed to make it to Q3 in qualifying, he was disappointed with the balance of his RB20 car and qualified in eighth place, six-tenths of a second behind his teammate Max Verstappen.
Due to a three-place grid penalty from the previous race in Canada, Perez started the Spanish Grand Prix in 11th place. However, he was able to make up ground with a three-stop strategy and crossed the finish line in eighth place, while Verstappen secured another victory.
Despite McLaren’s Lando Norris suggesting that his team should have won, Verstappen’s strong performance helped Red Bull maintain their lead in the championship. When asked about Perez’s lack of impact in the front battle, Horner pointed out that their lead had actually been extended.
Horner acknowledged that Perez had faced challenges in recent races but believes that his eighth-place finish in Spain should give him some confidence going forward. He emphasized the importance of Perez being closer to Verstappen to ensure strategic flexibility in battles with rival teams.
Perez himself is looking forward to the next race, which will be held at Red Bull’s home circuit in Austria. He sees it as an opportunity to learn from his recent struggles and continue to improve throughout the season. He remains focused and determined to make a strong comeback.