Sergio Perez under pressure ahead of the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix

Perez secured his second victory for Red Bull at the rain-soaked Monaco Grand Prix two years ago, finishing ahead of Carlos Sainz and his teammate Max Verstappen.

As Formula 1 gears up to return to its most iconic track this weekend, the pressure on the Mexican driver has significantly intensified, with his future at Red Bull under increasing scrutiny.

The 34-year-old's recent performance at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola was far from stellar, culminating in an eighth-place finish after a challenging weekend.

Perez's difficulties began with a crash during practice, followed by a failure to advance to the Q3 session in qualifying, leaving him starting from 11th on the grid.

Although he managed to secure points in the race, a podium finish was never within reach.

Horner has come to Perez's defence, characterising the underwhelming weekend at Imola as merely a 'blip'.

Horner's reassurance aims to quell concerns about Perez's form as he heads into the Monaco Grand Prix, a race that holds both fond memories and significant pressure for the Mexican driver.

"I think it's just a blip. He's always gone well at Monaco, so we will see," Horner explained in his post-race interview.

“It's a 24-race calendar. He's had a great start to the year. His approach has been very strong. He's changed his approach a bit this year and today's result was dictated by yesterday's qualifying.“