Both drivers can choose to run a medium/hard or hard/medium one-stop combination.

From pole, Perez actually had to start from the medium pace, as he couldn’t risk losing out to those around him, and after a mistake in qualifying, Verstappen was given more freedom and opted for the hard tyre. .

Plus: How Verstappen deployed an underrated powerhouse to beat Perez in Miami

Red Bull’s simulation data shows that Perez’s strategy will be about three seconds faster over the distance of the race.

However, Verstappen was able to set an unexpectedly good lap time on his long first stint on the hard tyre, and even passed Perez on his fresher hard tyre, after Perez had pitted.

After Verstappen came up on Perez on his own stop, he quickly moved into the lead.

Given the form the world champion has shown, Horner said Verstappen would have been just as impressive if he had adopted the same strategy as his team-mate.

“I think if he had used other strategies as well, today’s performance would have been very similar,” he said.

“I think he was obviously frustrated with himself after qualifying, he made a mistake and then obviously didn’t have the opportunity to correct that mistake.

“And I think he felt confident playing today and just wanted to do something a little bit different.”

Horner confirmed he was willing to back Verstappen’s strategic choice, even if it was theoretically slower.

“Strategy has obviously been discussed, all the numbers were drawn overnight and we weighed the pros and cons,” he said.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st, Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, 2nd, speech at Parc Ferme

Photography: Jack Grant / motorsport pictures

“His engineering team and Max were keen to give it a go today. I’m happy to sign it and say if that’s what you want to do, fine.”

Horner said he was satisfied with finishing second despite Perez’s loss to the ninth-placed finisher.

“I think it’s the swings and roundabouts of the sport, don’t you?” he said. “A week ago he was on high. But I don’t think he will be too disappointed.

“He still took 18 points from here. I don’t think anybody beat Max today.”

Horner explained that Perez didn’t build up enough cushion when he started on the medium tire, in part because he was initially protecting his front right tire.

In retrospect, he admitted, the Mexican could have worked harder in that game.

“For the first 10 laps, he was pretty much in control,” Horner said. “And I think he was nervous about the right front. I think he was driving well in himself and in the car to protect the right front when we started to see the other teams start to get a little bit rough.

“Then he pushed after the first 10 laps and started to build the lead.

“And I think in hindsight it was probably 20/20, I think if you look at the race again, he could have tried harder in the first period because the medium tire was actually a really good tire, as we saw Fernando (Alonso) has actually come a long way.”