How Red Bull will decide Sergio Perez team orders fate in Mexico

Sergio Perez, Mexico 2021 — Photo: © LAT Images

Mexico City Grand Prix

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How Red Bull will decide Perez team orders fate in Mexico

Red Bull will focus on the wider championship picture in the Mexico City GP

Ian Parkes & Sam Hall

Saturday 6 November 2021 13:15 Updated: 16:17

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has stated Red Bull's position that it wants Sergio Perez to win in Mexico but 'can't rule out' team orders to the contrary.

Ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, Perez said, "It’s just great to finally have a team and a car that we can dream of a victory in my home country."

His comments will, however, have been made known in full knowledge of the fact that even if he leads onto the final lap at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, he could be asked to pull over and allow team-mate Max Verstappen through.

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Aware of the magnitude of such a decision and the damage to Red Bull's popularity in Mexico, Horner described the potential call "an incredibly tough one."

"Our main objective is to win both championships, and both drivers know the task involved to achieve that," explained Horner.

"But of course so many scenarios, what-ifs, can happen. It will depend where our opponents are.

"You can’t rule it out, you can’t rule it in. Our preference would be to see Checo, if Checo were in that position, to win his home race.

"There’s no bigger result for any home driver – but as a team, we have to keep an eye on both of these championships and know what’s at stake.

"This race like any other has the same amount of points attributable to it and therefore we treat it like any other race."

Sebastian Vettel, himself the beneficiary of team orders while at Red Bull, on Thursday urged Perez to ignore any orders from the pit wall on Sunday.

Reflecting that team orders are "part of the sport being a team sport", Horner added: "Drivers are part of the team and you know we operate as a team and that’s why team orders sometimes are necessary for the best interests of the sport.

"I’ve got no doubt you will see more and more of that at the sharp end of this championship over the remaining five races.

"We’ve seen it to date and we will see, as teams are going up against each other, whether it’s for first in the drivers’ or constructors’ or P3 in the constructors’ or whatever battles are going on beyond that.

"Formula 1 is a team sport and everybody has their role to play as part of that team."