Christian Horner’s blunt verdict as Sergio Perez Hungarian GP shunt escalates Red Bull pressure

Red Bull boss Christian Horner made it clear that it was “the last thing” Sergio Perez and the team needed after he crashed out of Hungarian GP qualifying.

Perez’s struggles to escape an alarming slump in form has brought about renewed speculation over his Red Bull future, talk which has been brought on largely by the team themselves, who are keeping a nervous watch on the Constructors’ Championship standings as the competition strengthens.

Christian Horner offers few words of comfort for Sergio Perez

A positive Friday for Perez suggested that a corner had perhaps been turned, but his failure to navigate Turn 8 of the Hungaroring during qualifying said otherwise. Sent slamming into the barriers, Perez was out, that his fourth Q1 elimination over the last six rounds.

Horner believes he has been “very patient” so far with the situation, but made it crystal clear that this fresh setback was “the last thing” Red Bull or Perez needed.

“I do think I have shown to be very patient, but this was really the last thing he and the team needed,” Horner told Viaplay .

“We now have to get everything back together, fix the car and see what we can get out of it during the race.”

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Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko has suggested that the team will make a decision on their driver line-ups over the summer break, amid mounting speculation that Perez could be shown the door.

PlanetF1.com understands that a clause exists in Perez’s recently-signed Red Bull deal that would allow for much a move, reportedly dependent on Perez being 100 points behind team-mate Max Verstappen at that point. The gap is 137 ahead of Grand Prix Sunday in Hungary.

Horner would not be drawn on what this fresh disappointment means for Perez’s future, but re-iterated that Red Bull cannot continue to accept a one-legged push.

“Any discussions we have with him will of course take place internally and not in front of the media,” said Horner. “But of course, we cannot run on one leg.”

Perez looked to remain optimistic despite that crash as he goes in search of recovering to a points finish on Sunday.

Discussing the incident with media personnel at the Hungaroring, Perez said: “I think I clipped the kerb and at that point it was raining harder in Turn 8.

“So when I clipped the kerb it was quite late in the corner and it just sent me off completely into the wall.

“It hurts that it happened again, especially in the run that I’m going through. But I’m determined to turn this around, because I believe that…I mean yesterday, we had a really good, very promising day.

“So I think we have very good information on the long run, so hopefully tomorrow, we can have some really good pace to come through the field and hopefully score some points.”

Verstappen will look to lead Red Bull’s push for victory in the upgraded RB20 from P3 on the grid.

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