Red Bull will investigate Perez's gap to Verstappen in Belgian GP

Christian Horner says Red Bull will look into the reasons for Sergio Perez's massive pace deficit to teammate and race winner Max Verstappen on the medium tyre in last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

Due to a gearbox change on his RB19, Verstappen was handed a five-place grid penalty by the stewards.

But despite a prudent start, Verstappen immediately moved up from sixth to fourth on the opening lap of the race and began to reel in Perez by lap 9.

Verstappen easily seized the lead on lap 17 after the first round of pitstops.

Although Perez had appeared able to fend off his teammate on the Softs, the Mexican was powerless in his defense against the Dutchman on Pirelli's medium compound.

• Read all: Perez sets himself podium target for rest of season

Verstappen breezed past on the Kemmel straight and powered off into the distance, eventually crossing the checkered flag to his 45th career win in F1 with a comfortable 22-second cushion over Perez.

"I’m surprised it took him so long to get to the front, to be honest with you! No, honestly, all jokes aside, I thought he drove an incredible race today," Horner said, commenting Verstappen's master class.

"His pace obviously in the first stint, passing the cars that he did, he did a great job to get up to P2, and then after the stop, his race really came alive on the Medium tyre. I thought he showed incredible speed.

"Checo obviously didn’t defend too hard because of the speed difference between the two of them, and thereafter, it was about managing the rest of the race.

"So phenomenal to go into the summer break unbeaten in both grands prix and sprints. I think it’s beyond everybody’s wildest imagination to be sitting in this position now."

Horner was at a loss to explain the magnitude of the performance difference between Red Bull's two drivers on the medium rubber but said the team would "go through" the data.

"The first stint was pretty good," Horner said, alluding to Perez' efforts.

"I think the Medium tyre, Checo definitely wasn’t as comfortable as Max was. And then on the Soft tyre at the end, it was about managing the tyre.

"We were a little worried, the tyres you could see they were starting to open up a bit. It was then about closing out the race.

"Checo did a great job on the first lap, overtook Charles with a brave move around the outside. Had strong pace in the first stint.

"But then we need to go through why he comparatively struggled on the Medium tyre."

Horner suggested that part of Perez's deficit was simply due to Verstappen's supreme form and execution.

"I think that generally, it’s been outstanding," he added. "I think what we’re witnessing with Max at the moment is something you see once in a generation.

"I think like all the great drivers, he just has that extra capacity.

"What we’re witnessing and seeing with him at the moment is his ability to read the tyre, to read a race, extract absolutely everything out of it. It’s great to see. I think he’s just at the top of his form at the moment."

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