Horner: We need Perez to be starting in the first four

After a strong start for the 2023 F1 season, winning in Jeddah and Baku, Perez dropped back failing to reach Q3 on nine occasions, qualifying out of the top five on five occasions.

Not making it into the top five 14 times out of 22 in the best car on the grid did not bode well for Perez who then spent Sunday making up positions after low starting positions, and while he showed improvement towards the end of the season, he was under pressure with his future at Red Bull continuously under speculation.

However Red Bull kept the faith in Perez for 2024 insisting he will see his contract out with the team, and reflecting on his driver's season, Horner said: "I think the last few races he’s had a bit of a reset.

"His pace, when you look at the analysis through [the Abu Dhabi] weekend, again was very, very strong. He’s just got to sort his Saturdays out," he added when speaking to Sky Sports F1.

"His race pace is there, his race craft is fantastic, he’s probably overtaken more cars than anybody this year, but we just need him to be starting in the first four rather than ninth or 10th, whatever his average has been over the last few races," Horner maintained.

The Red Bull boss insisted Perez knew what he has to do to improve, he said: "He’s still finished second in this world championship and won some great races, put in some great drives.

"I think he knows where his areas to improve are. I think [there will be] a little bit of a reset in terms of how he goes about his racing next year as well.

"He knows it’s a big year for him and he’ll take a bit of time this winter to reflect on where he needs to improve and I’m sure he’ll come back fighting next year," the 50-year-old Briton concluded.

Perez has recently claimed that he needs to be more consistent in 2024, after he admitted that his season took a turn to the worse after the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.