Red Bull 'desperately need answers' on Verstappen team-mate - Horner

Christian Horner says Red Bull "desperately need answers" to its driver line-up predicament as the Milton Keynes squad falls behind its F1 rivals in that area. 

Whilst Max Verstappen remains the standard bearer in the cockpit of an F1 car, the Red Bull team principal is all too aware that Sergio Perez is not operating to the level required to fend off the opposition on a consistent basis.

Conversely, the McLaren pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri is considered the strongest combination on the current F1 grid.

That has helped carry the Woking-based team into the lead of the constructors' championship, at Red Bull's expense.

With six rounds to go, the gap stands at 41 points, but the Horner-led operation would likely be headed towards a third-consecutive constructors' crown had Perez not endured such a prolonged spell of poor form this year.

To make matters worse, when Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari for 2025, the Italian team will be considered a force to be reckoned with.

“We desperately need answers,” Horner told Motorsport.com when discussing Red Bull's problematic driver situation.

“When you look at our opponents, Ferrari will be strong next year, with Hamilton and Leclerc. Plus McLaren with Norris and Piastri is a strong line-up."

Red Bull cannot 'afford' performance delta

Perez has been alongside Verstappen since the 2021 F1 season, but his performances have often been under the microscope.

That scrutiny has increased significantly this season with Red Bull no longer able to rely solely on its triple-world champion amid intense competition on track.

Verstappen leads the drivers' championship by 52 points from Lando Norris, but is 187 ahead of his team-mate, who has scored just 144 points to the Dutchman's 331. It is an imbalance that will be critical in the constructors' fight.

Perez escaped being sidelined over the summer. It will likely prove a costly endeavour for Red Bull, essentially sacrificing the constructors' championship and the additional $9 million it would have earned for winning the title, as opposed to finishing second.

The team will be less willing to suffer the same fate next season, with Horner underlying a need to reduce the delta between Verstappen and whoever partners him next term.

“We need to make sure that with both of our drivers, that there's not a big gap between them because you can't afford to have that," the 50-year-old added.

Although contracted through 2025, Perez's position is not guaranteed and as it has grown more untenable for Red Bull, the team has started to explore its options.

Daniel Ricciardo was intended to provide an alternative, but the Australian failed to make the necessary grade. Now, Liam Lawson will embark on a six-round swing at RB which has been billed as an audition for Perez's seat.

If he falls short, Yuki Tsunoda remains an option. However, the Japanese driver has never seriously been considered as a potential Verstappen team-mate.