Last Updated on September 18 2024, 2:39 pm
Christian Horner underlines Red Bull’s team order: Sergio Perez must support Max Verstappen – In the fiercely competitive world of Formula One, team management is often the deciding factor in a championship race. Red Bull Racing, a team renowned for its dominance in recent years, is relying on a clear hierarchy as the 2024 season enters its most critical phase.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, has explicitly stated that Sergio Perez’s role is now to support Max Verstappen in his fight for the championship. Horner’s comments highlight the need for clear team orders and the strategic importance of prioritising one driver over another. As Red Bull battles for supremacy, Horner has also pointed out that rival teams, particularly McLaren, are struggling with the challenge of managing two strong drivers without clear roles.
Red Bull’s hierarchy: Backing Verstappen for the championship
The internal dynamics at Red Bull this season have been clear. Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, has consistently demonstrated his superiority over teammate Sergio Perez. Perez, who entered the 2024 season with hopes of challenging for wins, has seen his role gradually evolve into one of supporting Verstappen as the season has progressed.
Horner’s message was clear when he spoke about Perez’s position within the team: “We have a driver who is fighting for the world championship. Formula One is a team sport, so it is clear that Checo’s job is to support Max until the end of the year.”
This, according to Horner, is an essential part of Red Bull’s strategy in their quest for the title. By clearly defining Perez’s role, Red Bull are ensuring that all resources are focused on maximising Verstappen’s chances of another world championship.
The statistics support Horner’s decision to prioritise Verstappen. Prior to the Baku race, Verstappen had outqualified Perez in 16 consecutive races.
In fact, with the exception of the Australian Grand Prix, where he retired with a brake problem, Verstappen has beaten Perez in every race this season. This dominance has left Red Bull with little choice but to back Verstappen as the driver most capable of winning the title.
McLaren’s struggles: Managing two competitive drivers
While Red Bull’s team hierarchy has become increasingly straightforward, their main rivals for the championship, McLaren, have found themselves in a far more complex situation. McLaren’s two drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, have both enjoyed impressive seasons, creating a dilemma for the team. In recent races, Norris and Piastri have not only battled fiercely against their rivals on the track, but have also been involved in internal battles for supremacy within the team.
Christian Horner has not hesitated to comment on McLaren’s predicament, pointing to the lack of clear team orders as a source of confusion.
“The confusion comes when you don’t make the plans clear from the start,” Horner remarked, highlighting what he believes is a key issue in McLaren’s management. Unlike at Red Bull, where Verstappen’s status as lead driver is firmly established, McLaren’s management has been slower to define the roles of its drivers.
During the Baku race, McLaren’s team bosses, including Zak Brown, finally decided to issue a team order favouring Norris over Piastri. However, the implementation of this decision was anything but straightforward, leaving room for uncertainty. Red Bull, on the other hand, have been consistent in their approach to team orders.
“Our rules of collaboration are very clear. We know what we are focusing on at the end of the year,” said Horner, emphasising the importance of clarity within the team.
Horner also highlighted a deeper issue at McLaren – the relative value of their drivers. Lando Norris, who reportedly earns five times as much as Oscar Piastri, is widely regarded as McLaren’s most valuable asset. However, Piastri’s performances have exceeded expectations, causing what Horner describes as a “headache” for the team.
“I think Piastri is a headache for them because he is winning races and doing a very good job. They certainly told Oscar their expectations – as Mercedes probably did with George [Russell] and Ferrari with Carlos [Sainz] – that you have a top driver and a support driver. But when the second driver starts to outperform the first, it is obviously a headache,” Horner explained.
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Red Bull’s own experience: Lessons from the 2014 season
Red Bull is no stranger to managing internal competition between its drivers. In fact, Christian Horner’s insights into McLaren’s current struggles are informed by his own experiences at Red Bull. In 2014, Red Bull faced a similar situation when Daniel Ricciardo emerged as a serious challenger to four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. That season, Ricciardo won three races while Vettel failed to score a single victory.
This unexpected turn of events created tension within the team as the clear hierarchy between Vettel and Ricciardo began to blur.
Reflecting on that season, Horner said, “It’s like when Daniel came to us. He was clearly supposed to be number two behind Sebastian. But Daniel won three races that year and Sebastian didn’t win a single one. Such situations are inherently stressful for a team, as the internal dynamics shift and the established order is challenged.”
Red Bull’s experience in 2014 has undoubtedly influenced the team’s approach this season. By clearly defining the roles of Verstappen and Perez, Red Bull avoids the pitfalls of having two top drivers fighting for supremacy, which can lead to confusion and division within the team.
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Why Red Bull avoids two top drivers
Christian Horner has been open about Red Bull’s strategy to avoid the complications that come with having two equally competitive drivers in the same team.
“It becomes a problem because it divides the team. The rules of interaction become very difficult and it causes confusion,” admitted Horner. Red Bull’s approach this season has been to ensure there is no confusion about which driver the team is backing for the championship.
At the start of the season, Red Bull gave both drivers equal opportunities to prove themselves. However, as the season progressed, it became clear that Verstappen was the stronger contender. According to Horner, by the middle of the season a team has to decide which driver to back in the championship fight. For Red Bull, the choice was obvious – Verstappen’s consistency and dominance made him the clear favourite, while Perez’s inconsistent performances relegated him to a supporting role.
While Verstappen holds a 59-point lead in the Drivers’ Championship with seven races remaining, Red Bull face a tougher battle in the Constructors’ Championship. After the Baku race, Red Bull trail McLaren by 20 points, a gap Horner is keen to close.
“We are now 20 points behind, so we have to attack…”
“There are still a lot of points to be won, so it’s far from over,” he said, admitting that the team is now in the unfamiliar position of chasing rather than defending.
This shift, Horner says, will change the dynamic of their approach in the final races of the season.
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The changing landscape of Formula One: What the future holds
As the 2024 season draws to a close, attention is already turning to the future of Formula One. The transfer market is in full swing as teams, drivers and engineers prepare for the 2025 season. One of the most significant moves in the paddock was Aston Martin’s recent acquisition of Adrian Newey, one of Red Bull’s top designers. Widely regarded as one of the most talented engineers in the sport, Newey has been instrumental in Red Bull’s success. His move to Aston Martin raises intriguing questions about the future, with many wondering whether he will build a championship-winning car for his new team.
In the high-stakes world of Formula One, the battle for supremacy extends beyond the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. The constant movement of key personnel between teams is shaping the future of the sport and Red Bull, despite its current challenges, remains a formidable force.
For now, Christian Horner and Red Bull are focused on securing the championship for Max Verstappen, with Sergio Perez playing a crucial supporting role. The lessons of the past, coupled with the team’s clear strategy, give Red Bull confidence heading into the final stretch of the 2024 season.
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Mexican Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez faces double disappointment after crash at Baku GP as father’s health scare adds to heartbreak – In a dramatic turn of events at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, Sergio Perez not only suffered a disheartening race-ending crash, but also had to deal with the shocking news of his father’s health crisis.
While the Red Bull driver was battling for a podium finish, his father, Antonio Perez Garibay, suffered a serious medical emergency back in Mexico straight after witnessing his son’s crash on the circuit with Carlos Sainz Jr…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
