Red Bull boss Christian Horner was surprised by Sergio Perez suggesting the team previously only ran two cars "because they had to".

The Mexican made the comment as he praised the growing "respect" he has within Red Bull, something he feels was "very different" with second drivers before his arrival back in 2021.

However, responding to Perez, Horner insisted Red Bull there was never a time when the team solely focused on one side of the garage.

“We always have run two cars since we entered the sport in 2005," he said via Crash.net. "We always want to have the best two drivers we can in the car.

Also Read:

• Russell to 'reassess' big Red Bull claim after Mercedes' Imola upgrades
• Max claims No.2 drivers should 'accept their role' as Perez told he's 'no Verstappen'

“As a team, we’ve always strived to give both drivers the best opportunity and the best equipment we can. Then it’s down to what they do on track.

“That’s whether it’s Max [Verstappen] and Checo or Daniel [Ricciardo] and Max or Daniel and Seb [Vettel] or Mark [Webber] and Seb or you can go back to David Coulthard and Mark. 

“That’s the way we’ve always rolled and it’s down to what they do on the circuit at the end of the day that counts.”

Perez's comment came as he tries to take the fight to Verstappen in the championship, with Red Bull currently the class of the field.

However, Horner is confident the relationship between his drivers will not deteriorate.

“They’re both competitive animals and they’re both racing drivers at the end of the day,” he said. “They know the rules of engagement in terms of, it's the team first.

“Particularly at this time of the year, when we know we don’t have the development capability other teams have in terms of wind tunnel time as the season goes on.

“So for us, it’s hugely important to bag as many points as we can, get as many into the championships as we can early on because we know the others are going to come back at us in the second half of the year.” 

Horner though is pleased to see the improvement Perez has made since joining Red Bull.

“It’s great to see Checo doing a great job now,” Horner said.

“In ’21 he came into the car off the back of the Covid season and at the end of a set of regulations and he struggled with that car. Last year he was definitely more at home in the car and he achieved two of our 17 victories. 

“He’s got out of the blocks well again this year but we’re only three races into the season and there’s an awful long way to go.”

A poor weekend in Australia means Perez currently trails Verstappen by 15 points in the Drivers' standings.