Horner: We need to sit down with Checo

While Max Verstappen sealed his third Formula 1 World Title over the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, Sergio Perez had a horrid time, crashing out in the Sprint Race while he finished the Grand Prix on Sunday in tenth scoring only one point.

As was the case in Austria, Perez struggled to keep his RB19 within the track limits, and ended up receiving three five-second time penalties that ruined his race and compromised his chances of scoring more points to capitalize on Lewis Hamilton's DNF, as the pair fight for runner up in the 2023 F1 Drivers' Championship.

Asked about Perez's situation, Christian Horner said: "I think we really need to sit down with Checo because we know what he's capable of and he's not hitting that form at the moment.

"We desperately need him to find that form to keep this second place in the championship," he insisted. "It was frustrating that he's only come out of the weekend with one point. Even starting from the back of the grid, I think there was an opportunity to score heavily or decently.

"We will support him as much as we can because there's a triple-header coming up, there's a huge amount of points with Sprint Races as well," Horner revealed.

There has been continuous speculation regarding Perez's future with Red Bull, but Horner insists they are keeping the faith in him for now, noting the driver's 2024 contract with the team.

"We have a contract with Sergio," Horner said. "We are not seeing the best of Sergio. We need to unpick what it is that's causing this slump in form for him and we are going to support him as much as we can to achieve that.

"The other teams are working as a pair. Mercedes, it's very tight between their pair, Ferrari it's very tight between their pair. Oscar, what a great job he's doing as a rookie, very tight with Lando.

"We really need Checo to get into that window, not this year to much, but certainly next year we need him to be firing on all cylinders," the Briton maintained.

While Verstappen has been imperious in the RB19, rising to levels that have never been seen before, Perez has struggled in the same car, prompting rumors that the car is built and developed around the Dutchman's driving style.

Horner insists that is not the case, he explained: "Quick cars are edgy. It's not something we specifically develop in that way. We develop the quickest car that you can.

"We just need to get to the bottom of what it is he's struggling with," the Red Bull boss concluded.