P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Ecclestone emerges as only winner from Horner/Perez F1 bet
Christian Horner was particularly intrigued by Sergio Perez’s return to Suzuka, considering it was his first race there since a disappointing event in the 2023 campaign. Horner even made a hefty wager with Perez, promising a payout if the Mexican driver could secure a front-row spot on the grid. Perez managed to achieve this, narrowly missing out on pole position to his teammate Max Verstappen by just 0.066 seconds. However, Perez revealed that he had a separate arrangement with Bernie Ecclestone, so the payout had to go directly to him instead of Horner. Despite the bet situation, Horner praised Perez’s aggressive driving during the race, especially his overtaking moves in 130R. Perez’s strong performance has increased his chances of securing a new contract with Red Bull for the 2025 season, as his current deal is set to expire at the end of this year. Christian Horner emphasized that Perez just needs to maintain his current form to secure his place in the team, as he has started the season impressively and is a popular figure within the Red Bull team.
