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Horner on Verstappen vs Perez: "Both at the top of their game"
- Toby McLuskie
Christian Horner refrained from answering the question of which of his drivers has the upper hand at the moment in the press conference. The 49-year-old Briton is impressed by both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez and thinks details will start to make a difference in Monaco.
"They're both in great shape. The 4 1-2 finishes, five victories that we've achieved so far this year have been phenomenal," said Horner, who saw Max Verstappen win three times in 2023, while Perez won twice. "So they're both at the top of their game. It's a great situation. Great dynamic for the team to have.
Perez wants to win again in Monaco
Verstappen is defending a 14-point lead over his Mexican teammate after five Grands Prix. Perez indicated ahead of the weekend in Monaco that it was important for him to finish ahead of Verstappen this weekend to avoid widening the gap in the world championship.
When asked how important it is for Perez to win in Monaco and take over the momentum from Verstappen, Horner replied, "They're all important, aren't they? He did a great job here last year and strategically, we were sharp on the pit wall in changeable conditions, and we might get some of that on Sunday. You just never know."
What is going to make the difference?
Perez, an outlier on street circuits, and Verstappen could only be hugely matched in the coming days. The Red Bull Racing team boss thinks the decisive factor is confidence. "It's a matter of being at one with the car, having the confidence to run close to the barriers and get every bit of performance out. And the majority of the weekend is dictated by tomorrow afternoon in quali," Horner concluded.