Damon Hill issued Christian Hor🃏ner with a reminder that he “recommended” Sergio Perez to the Red Bull F1 team.

Red Bull boss Horner h🎀ad teased Sky Sports’ pundits about 𝓀previous criticism of Perez.

The under-pressure Perez has claimed three P2 finishes in four grands prix🦹 this year, and qualified for Sunday’s F1 Chinese Grand Prix in second 🦹behind teammate Max Verstappen.

“You guys have a tenden꧅cy to write him off but he’s doing a⭕ great job,” Horner told the Sky Sports studio.

“He came into the season with a new frame of mind. He is r🉐elaxed and driving the car well.

“He is not focusing on his teammate. It’s🤡 a different appro൲ach.

“In the first five races we have seen a stron🌺g performance fro๊m him.

“His confidence is growing ꦓand hopefully he can conv⛎ert that into another good result.”

1996 F1 champion Hill replied to Horner: “Far from writing him off, I seem to ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚremember recommending him to you, at one po💝int!”

Perez 'responds to pressure in the best way'

Horner addresse🌜d Perez’s upturn in form: “He is an important part of the te𒈔am.

“It’s about working collectively. He has great engineering support around him. He feelsღ comfortable.

“He knows t🎉hat he’s out of contract so he’s driving for his future.

“He responds to pressure in the best possible way. Some drivers respond to🍷 ⭕pressure, and others wilt.”

Horner said to Hill: “It reminds me of yo💎🦹ur 1995 and 1996 seasons.

“Over that winter, you certainl🐭y came back a different driver in ‘96.

“It is similar with Checo. He has gone a🎃way, wintered well, changed a few things in his approach, and he is driving well.”

Perez narrowly avoided an unfortunate Q1 elimination during Saturday’s qualifying for the grand pri🃏x.

Horner explained: “The 🌼track was evolving quickly.

“With hindsight we should have run 🍬a new set of tyres but we were stacking them up for later in qualifying.

“You’d🌌 like to say it was perfect judgement but we got a little bit lucky🍒 to be within the cut.”

Red Bull’🤪s domination looks🍰 set to continue in Shanghai on Sunday, after Verstappen won the sprint race on Saturday.

Horner was asked if his team will🥃 continue developing their 2024 car or begin looking further ahead.

“You’ve got to keep your head down, keep pushing forw♓ard,” he repliℱed.

“It’s still early 🌠in this championship, there is a long way to go.

“As we head back to Europe I susp❀ect updates will arrive from other teams.

“Things can change. You can’t afford complacency.

“It has been a really good Saturday for us. The sprint race victory, pole positio𓃲n, and Checo on the front row as well.

“100 💙poles in ⛄15 years, and the first one was here 15 years ago.”