Sergio Perez given unequivocal backing by Red Bull despite lowly points haul

Sergio Perez has received more backing from Red Bull ahead of the final stretch of the 2024 campaign.

Perez has been under fire all season, and Red Bull opted not to replace him at the mid-way point.

But they have fallen behind McLaren in the constructors’ championship, with Perez’s lowly points haul in stark contrast to the efforts of Max Verstappen or opposing duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

In Singapore last weekend, Perez qualified 13th then finished 10th to bring home a sole point.

In the race prior, in Azerbaijan, he was battling for a podium until a last-gasp crash with Carlos Sainz meant he took zero points back to the Red Bull garage.

Christian Horner assessed Perez in Singapore last time out: “He had a good first lap, he got his elbows out and made a couple of decent passes.

“But then he got stuck. He struggled with traction. He couldn’t get off the corners where he needed to, to get into an overtaking position.

“It was frustrating for him. But he got a point out of it, and they will all add up at the end of the season.

“When you hunt in a pair, it’s always going to be easier.

“Checo [in Azerbaijan] was right there. [In Singapore] he struggled in quali then was out of position in the race.

“Hopefully some of the tracks coming up… some of the upgrades that I hope we will bring over the next few races… there are big races for Checo, and for the team.”

The drab points haul of Red Bull’s second driver was cited as the key reason that they will lose out on this season’s constructors’ championship by Sky Sports’ analyst Jamie Chadwick.

He is eighth in the drivers’ championship behind teammate Verstappen, both Ferraris, both McLarens, and both Mercedes.