Sergio Pérez has taken victory around the streets of Monte Carlo for Oracle Red Bull Racing, and Team Principal, Christian Horner, is very happy that the team were able to leapfrog Scuderia Ferrari at a circuit they didn’t have an advantage at.
Championship leader, Max Verstappen, has extended his lead at the top of the standings after finishing third, ahead of title rival Charles Leclerc, who was dominating the earlier portion of the race but finished fourth after a strategy error.
Pérez has now closed the gap between himself and Leclerc in the standings to just six points, meaning Red Bull are on the right path to secure the top two positions of the drivers standings in the run up to the midway point of the season.
“It has been an amazing day for us and an amazing day for Checo, he’s been on it all weekend so it’s a well deserved victory,” Horner says.
“The teamwork and for both of our drivers to pick off a Ferrari was fantastic. Checo is doing a great job this year, in Jeddah he had that amazing pole and the time delta between him and Max has been a lot closer this year.
“To win this race is a deserved victory.”
The Red Bull team principal went on to explain that Verstappen wasn’t totally comfortable with his car this weekend, as illustrated by his qualifying and race position; though the number thirty three driver is happy with the third step on the podium:
“Max hasn’t quite had the car where he wanted this weekend, but he’s pleased with that result, he’s beaten Charles and kept his championship lead which was the goal,” added Horner.
“Through great teamwork from the drivers, on the pit wall, in the garage and back in Milton Keynes we optimised our performance this weekend, so we are very happy.”
After a surprise victory for Pérez on Sunday afternoon, Red Bull will have their eyes set on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in two weeks time, where they will return to the venue Pérez took his maiden win at for the Milton Keynes-based team, but will be looking for redemption for the unlucky tyre failure that caused Verstappen to retire from a race of certain victory.
Image: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.