Horner hands Perez rallying cry with Red Bull title under threat

Christian Horner has told Sergio Perez that Red Bull needs both drivers "firing on all cylinders" as it seeks to arrest its slide in the F1 constructors' standings.

Coming into the campaign, Red Bull was viewed as the strong favourite for a third straight, and seventh overall, constructors' championship this year.

The team, and Verstappen, in particular, started well, but it has not won in the eight races since the Spanish GP. Perez, meanwhile, has scored just 41 points in the 12 races since the Emilia Romagna GP in May.

Overall, he trails Verstappen by a staggering 187 points, which has allowed McLaren to take up the lead in the constructors' standings by 41 over Red Bull. 

With the RB20's form fluctuating, Horner has urged Perez, whose long-term future is not secure despite his 2025 contract, to up his game.

"We need to have two drivers firing on all cylinders," Horner told media including RacingNews365. "Checo had a good weekend [in Azerbaijan] and a tough weekend [in Singapore].

"We need to put some weekends together where we're putting two drivers on the podiums. It is those big points that really make a difference. We need to make sure that Checo is as far up the field as we can get him."

Horner - Red Bull 'to fight to the end'

With six grands prix and three sprints to come, there are a possible 309 constructors' points up for grabs, affording Red Bull plenty of opportunity to reclaim the lead from McLaren.

The key to the campaign will be the RB20 that shows up for the next race in the United States and whether the team has found the key to solving the disconnected balance issues that have plagued the car.

With tracks on the horizon that should ordinarily suit Red Bull, Horner added: "Everybody is still massively motivated in the team, and we're still fighting for both championships.

"We took a hit in the constructors' (in Singapore with McLaren scoring 41 points to Red Bull's 19), but there are still a lot of races to go. 

"There are some circuits where we've performed very well in the past."

As for Verstappen's drivers' championship charge, he enjoys a 52-point lead over Lando Norris, with Horner bullish the Dutchman can become just the sixth driver to win four or more F1 championships. 

"We are going to fight all the way to the end," he said. "We're 52 points ahead, with six races to go and a lot of points on the board.

"There is a lot of racing still to happen, and we're certainly going to be fighting hard through the next triple-header, and then the final triple-header."