Horner explains why Perez left Red Bull: 'We sat down together'

No F1 driver was Verstappen's teammte for as long as Sergio Perez did at Red Bull Racing, since the Dutchman joined back in 2016. The driver could finish second in the standings behind Verstappen as well in the 2023 season. Therefore, team principal Christian Horner is grateful for the drivers' effort over the years.

"Checo, he's been a fantastic member of this team. It's been a tough year for him, but he's a great person and, of course, played such a key role in ‘21 Drivers' Championship, ‘22 and ‘23 Constructors’. He was second in the Drivers' World Championship last year. He's won five Grand Prix in our cars," Horner listed Perez's achievements while praising the Mexican to Sky Sports.

Horner: 'Perez is taking a sabbatical'

The Briton then concluded that it was Perez's decision to take a 'sabbatical' from the competition. "He reflected after the season, and we sat down and discussed it last week about what are the next steps. And he's decided that he's going to take a bit of time out, take a sabbatical from Formula One, essentially," he explained.

Horner continued with saying that the Mexican will remain at Red Bull, however, he will no longer drive in 2025. "He'll still be involved with the brand and the team. But he's stepping back from driving duties moving forward. So it was sad to see him leave the team, but obviously it's time for him to spend with his young family as well and reflect on what he wants to do for the future," the Red Bull team principal explained.

This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sárközi

Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels!

X | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube