Horner reveals what 'mindset' Red Bull needs from Perez

Christian Horner has revealed what Red Bull needs from Sergio Perez if it is to stave off McLaren in the F1 constructors' championship fight.

The team principal of the Milton Keynes-based outfit believes the 34-year-old needs to have a winning "mindset", as he did prior to a difficult Belgian Grand Prix.

Having qualified third-fastest at Spa-Francorchamps, Perez started on the front row after Max Verstappen's 10-place grid penalty for changing his power unit. However, during the race, the Mexican fell back, ultimately finishing in seventh and behind his team-mate.

It was the opposite of Perez's usual trend, which sees him qualify poorly and have to work his way through the field on Sunday in an attempt to minimise the damage from his underwhelming grid-setting form.

Ahead of the race in Belgium, it was put to Horner on Sky Sports F1 that Perez felt victory was on the cards, to which the 50-year-old replied: "He needs that mindset - I'm glad he's in that mindset... We need to start adding points to the constructors' championship."

Prior to the weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, it appeared Perez was headed for the exit at Red Bull, a notion further strengthened by his disappointing performance during the Belgian Grand Prix.

However, against the odds, the constructors' champions have kept faith in the six-time race winner and will give him until the end of the season.

With McLaren having reduced its arrears to Red Bull in the battle for the constructors' crown from 115 points to just 42, Perez will need to significantly improve his form over the final 10 rounds of the season.

Despite the tall order, Horner backs Perez to fight his corner, saying his driver has "tremendous strength" when faced with adversity.

"We've seen him bounce back so many times when he's been on the ropes... He has this remarkable ability, when you think he's absolutely down and out he's like a weeble, he just bounces back," he explained.

"He's got tremendous strength when he's got his back to the wall. And I think that he's in that situation now."