P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Sergio Perez has largely been outperformed by Max Verstappen during their time as team-mates at Red Bull but Christian Horner has commended the Mexican’s mental strength.
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner praised Sergio Perez for his resilience while competing alongside Max Verstappen. Despite being outperformed by Verstappen, Perez secured second place in the Drivers’ standings and helped Red Bull achieve its first-ever 1-2 finish. Horner highlighted the psychological strength required to be Verstappen’s teammate, describing him as a relentless and dominant force. He acknowledged Perez’s ability to handle the pressure, which has proven challenging for other drivers. Horner also emphasized the role of AlphaTauri in nurturing and promoting drivers to the Red Bull Racing team, ruling out the possibility of directly promoting a junior driver to the World Championship squad.
