Horner makes second Red Bull driver demand as Perez decision nears

Christian Horner has outlined what Red Bull requires from Max Verstappen's team-mate next season, with Sergio Perez's immediate future still unclear.

The 50-year-old stipulated a need for two drivers able to score points on a "regular and collective basis", after the performance gap between the Dutchman and the Mexican became unsustainably large in 2024.

Verstappen claimed a fourth-consecutive F1 drivers' championship, despite the challenging RB20 leaving the team uncompetitive for large parts of the season.

However, whilst he was still able to score 437 points, 63 clear of second place Lando Norris, Perez only took 152.

Over the final 10 rounds of the year, after his summer reprieve, the 34-year-old added a meagre 21 points to his pre-shutdown haul.

It left Verstappen and Red Bull fighting on one front, surrendering the constructors' crown in the process. By season's end, the Milton Keynes team had dropped to third, behind champions McLaren and Ferrari.

Whilst Perez survived earlier in the campaign, with Red Bull confirming his seat for the remainder of the year, it is increasingly unlikely he will be able to make it to the 2025 season-opening Australian Grand Prix still alongside Verstappen.

Horner has already called on the six-time grand prix winner to draw his own conclusions from the situation, in the hope Perez will stand aside and not force Red Bull's hand. Despite that plea, he has refused to jump before potentially being pushed.

RB drivers Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda continue to patiently wait for their opportunity at Red Bull, but Horner was keen to make expectations completely clear, regardless of which of the three ultimately partners Verstappen next year.

"I think you can see the importance of having two drivers scoring on a regular and collective basis in the constructors' championship is crucial," the Red Bull team principal told media including RacingNews365.

"Ferrari will be strong with their lineup next year, McLaren have a strong lineup. Mercedes will have an inexperienced driver in one of their seats.

"And so, for us, it's very important that we have both of our drivers are delivering, and there's not a significant gap."