Damon Hill issued Christian Horner with a reminder that he “recommended” Sergio Perez to the Red Bull F1 t🐻eam.

Red Bull boss Horner had tease𝓰d Sk🍸y Sports’ pundits about previous 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 Verst🎃appen.

“You guys have a tendency to write him off but h𓂃e’s doing a great job,” Horner told the Sky Sports studio.

“He came into the season with 𝓡a new frame of mind. He is ꧋relaxed and driving the car well.

“He is not focusing on his teammate. It’🐟s a different🧸 approach.

“In the first five ꦺraces we have se🔥en a strong performance from him.

“His confidence is growing🐟 and hopefully he can convert that into another good result.”

1996 F1 champion Hill replied to Horner: “Far from writing him off, I seem to rem📖ember recommending him to you, at one point!”

Perez 'responds to pressure in the best way'

Horner addressed Perez💎’s uptur𓃲n in form: “He is an important part of the team.

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

“He knows that he’sꦬ out of contract so he’s driving for 🧔his future.

“He respo🌳nds to pressure in the best possible way. Some drivers respond to pressure, and others wilt.”

Horner sai⭕d to Hill:🍎 “It reminds me of your 1995 and 1996 seasons.

“Over that winter, you certainly came back a 🐲d𓄧ifferent driver in ‘96.

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

Perez narrowly 🍬avoided an unfortunate Q1꧃ elimination during Saturday’s qualifying for the grand prix.

H𝄹orner explained: “The track was evolving quickly.

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

“You’d like to say it♒ was perfect judgement but we g🎀ot 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 their𒁏 2024 car or begin looking further ahead.

“You’ve got to keep your head dow🐻n, keep pushing forward,♒” he replied.

“It’s still early in this cham🌼pionship, there is a long way to go.

“🥂As w𒀰e head back to Europe I suspect 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, poleꦏ position, and Checo on the front row as well.

“100 poles in 1꧃5 years, and the first one was here 15 years ago.”