Red Bull motorsport consultant Dr Helmut Marko has apologised for an “offensive” comment he made about the team’s driver Sergio Perez earlier this week.
Marko drew criticism for comments made on Monday about Perez, one of Red Bull’s two drivers alongside twice-champion Max Verstappen.Speaking to Red Bull’s Servus TV channel about Perez’s performance on Monday, Marko compared him to Red Bull’s two world champions, Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel, who are Dutch and German, respectively.
“We know that he [Perez] has problems in qualifying,” Marko said. “He fluctuates, he’s South American and his head just isn’t as fully focused as Max or Sebastian was.” Perez is Mexican by nationality, making him North American.
After his comments drew criticism online, Servus TV published a statement attributed to Marko apologising for his comment.
“I was trying to make a point that Checo has fluctuated in his performance this year, but it was wrong to attribute this to his cultural heritage.”
Marko, a former F1 driver and winner of the 1971 Le Mans 24 Hours, has been heavily involved with Red Bull’s junior driver programme over the last two decades. The 80-year-old Austrian was a friend of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who died in October last year.
Perez, who lies second in the championship, has been consistently beaten by Verstappen during 2023. Verstappen is currently on an all-time record winning streak of 10 consecutive grand prix victories, during which time Perez has scored fewer than half the points of his team mate and failed to reach Q3 on five occasions.
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MichaelN
8th September 2023, 17:16
And so the infamous ServusTV gets another ‘confirmation’ that the ‘mainstream media’ is enforcing ‘political correctness’.
This isn’t a bug, this is what Mateschitz made ServusTV for.
PacificPR (@streydt)
9th September 2023, 8:18
Is that so? If so it put’s Marko’s comments in an even worse context – he probably thought he could speak his mind freely and get away with it(being amongst ‘friends’) If I were Red Bull I would fire Marko straight away and very sincerely apologize to Perez. Otherwise I can’t see how they can expect Perez to still play the team game – plus this situation makes it mere impossible to replace Perez for his lack of performance or not playing the team game – since these comments from Marko, can be used to replacing Perez in a completely different light (not per se by Perez, but definitely by other media).
MichaelN
9th September 2023, 9:50
ServusTV has a long history of inviting people from the political fringes on under the guise of an ‘open platform’. And those fringes are usually not of the communist variety. Unsurprisingly, ServusTV also provided a frequent platform to the conspiratorial covid-denier Sucharit Bhakdi over the past years. Who just so happened to be dumped by his publisher for antisemitic commentary.
PacificPR (@streydt)
9th September 2023, 10:27
Well that speaks volumes and it makes it even worse for Marko and Red Bull. It makes it hard to believe that Marko made an ‘honest’ mistake and was not speaking his mind – probably fully aware of what he was saying wouldn’t be okay with the majority of the people outside of the Servus TV spectrum. It would be hypocritical of Red Bull to let Marko keep his position with this mediocre apology – while expelling Vips from the Red Bull program for very similar reasons. The implications of how Red Bull react will be major. Perez has been put in a very awkward situation – and it almost feels is if they are trying to bully him into giving up on his seat. I guess in a normal working situation you might even consider suing your employer and resign. At least Marko has made it very difficult to replace Perez before the end of his contract.
SteveP
9th September 2023, 12:22
That caused me to do a quick set of searches about Servus TV.
Ah, close associations with “fringes” that might think Genghis Khan was a peace-loving left-wing “woke” thinker.
Maciek (@maciek)
8th September 2023, 17:18
“I would like to categorically state that I did not intend to say what I really think out loud.”
Zann (@zann)
8th September 2023, 19:35
it’s quite a full apology I think. Lots of people find it easy to generalise about people, even if it’s “BMW drivers” or something. Sometimes it’s important to accept an apology as well as to do the right thing in the first place.
And I mean, what can he say about Checo’s qualifying that isn’t offensive one way or another? Either it’s his genes or he doesn’t work hard enough, or both!
Maciek (@maciek)
9th September 2023, 2:20
Wow, you must be new to PR spins
Zann (@zann)
9th September 2023, 10:04
Helmut does PR now, you must be new to F1
Charlie Racing
10th September 2023, 9:07
😂
Arthur Zakaryan (@arthurgd3)
8th September 2023, 17:51
I’d love to see how long RB, not RBR will continue letting this guy say the first thing that comes to mind with no filter to the first reporter that sticks a mic in his face.
Broderick Harper (@banbrorace)
8th September 2023, 18:10
I missed this, but I really want Marko to say the first thing that comes into his head – for as long as he wants.
Provided, it’s in public of course. LOL!!
HJ
8th September 2023, 21:18
He said something like that Perez, being a South-American, is not as focused as Verstappen or Vettel.
Adam
11th September 2023, 1:19
@arthurgd3 Red Bull GmbH will keep letting him say those things because that’s the whole point of Servus TV.
Dietrich Mateschitz was a far-right extremist (Americans would call him alt-right) and has spent most of his life promoting these views with the help of his immense fortune. It’s in the company’s interest for someone as prominent as Marko to make these comments and thus embolden other far-right extremists.
ryanoceros (@ryanoceros)
8th September 2023, 18:04
What did he say? I don’t see it quoted or another article mentioning it.
Leroy (@g-funk)
8th September 2023, 18:17
It’s in the fourth paragraph of this story.
frood19 (@frood19)
10th September 2023, 7:27
@ryanoceros it was in the round up the other day. The worst of what he said is quoted in this article. The man is a disgrace. I’ve never liked his ruthless attitude to drivers but you can’t argue that it gets results (for the most part), however, this kind of openly racist comment is beyond the pale.
Mahesh (@m47e57)
8th September 2023, 18:08
Darth Helmut
Konstantinos
8th September 2023, 18:09
Wow, how much more openly racist can you be?
I just don’t understand their approach with number two drivers generally, does RB hope that by piling on the pressure publicly, it will improve performance? Has this ever worked for them?
I just don’t understand how they can approach driver psychology in such a detrimental way and keep on doing it as their number 2 drivers disappoint one after the other. Add a pinch of racism, that will help…
Armchair Expert (@armchairexpert)
8th September 2023, 18:17
Is South American Juan Pablo Montoya racist too?
David BR (@david-br)
8th September 2023, 19:09
@armchairexpert Hamilton does indeed spiral down. For like 5 minutes. Then regroups and fights back. It’s been a consistent pattern – in the past – when he suddenly realizes he has no chance of winning the race. And he’s also explained that emotional dip: he always thinks he can win a race – or has done most years. And that’s what he focuses on. So when that becomes impossible, he loses focus. Then he adjusts.
Is that a problem? Depends whether you think winning the record number of poles, race wins and championships (joint) in Formula 1 is failing to deliver his full potential. Montoya with his 0 championships and 7 wins may think so. Others may think Montoya left Formula 1 because he couldn’t take the pressure and failure. (Just saying: not necessarily my opinion).
Either way, Marko’s comment is nonsense (Perez’s poor performance is nothing to do with being Mexican), racist (for suggesting it is), ignorant and really poor geography (confusing Mexico with South America). As is Montoya’s reverse prejudice. Also weird that, of course, he picks Hamilton as his example.
Konstantinos
9th September 2023, 0:00
I think that if you are the type of person that feels it’s logical to make sweeping negative generalisations about other ethnicities/nationalities then yeah, you are racist. What’s your point though?
melanos
10th September 2023, 10:18
Nationality and race are not the same. Sweeping generalizations about a nation’s citizens are mostly wrong but not necessarily racist. If, say, some Norwegian states: “All Danes are lazy” this is silly but really does not strike me as a racist comment. Same for religions etc.
MichaelN
9th September 2023, 0:47
Montoya has played up this angle throughout his career, but it was he who stumbled in 2003 and left the championship down to Räikkönen and Schumacher. And he didn’t do so well when partnered with Räikkönen either.
Dex
9th September 2023, 3:24
I don’t know, but Montoya at least is South American (unlike Perez, who’d probably never see S. America in his life if it wasn’t for Brazilian GP).
hal
9th September 2023, 10:38
What’s your point, Armchair ? Because Montoya is racist (or made a racist comment) then it’s fine to be ?
I liked Montoya as a driver, but he never stroke me as an intellectual reference, if you see what I mean. Having said that, he’s just a driver, not a director representing a brand.
Marko should be fired like vips and Larson were, at the minimum. This is so much worse that swearing using the wrong words on a gaming platform…
melanos
10th September 2023, 10:26
Don’t know which is Armchair’s point but there is a point. People say all the time the wildest thing agains white people and (particularly if the targets are male, hetero, cis and not disabled) almost nobody finds it reprehensible.
That’s my non-white 2c anyway
Jere (@jerejj)
8th September 2023, 18:28
I don’t know why so many people seem to mistake the continent Mexico is in geographically, which is clearly North America.
SteveP
8th September 2023, 18:45
Hey, if the more recent inhabitants of the dis-United States can delude themselves into thinking they control all the north continent, why should a few Canadians and Mexicans matter?
I believe he’s said less than complimentary things about Hamilton, too, so at least he’s an equal opportunity insulter.
asz
8th September 2023, 21:48
Red Bull motorsport insultant
SteveP
9th September 2023, 6:54
Now, that might be the funniest comment this year.
Thinking about it, then it might be fitting if the media started using that title for him.
Jogo
8th September 2023, 23:57
Where are you from, Jere? You can feel it if you think about the war in Ukraine. Even if it’s happening geographically in Europe most citizens of EU don’t feel like it’s happenning actually in EUROPE. It’s somewhere there, ouside. Same sentiment during balkan wars.
So of course Mexico doesn’t belong to the english speaking God bless America West civilization placed in North America. It’s Latin America. You can forgive the old Austrian.
MichaelN
9th September 2023, 0:54
The definitions are just that, though, and can sometimes be a bit confusing. Some conventions hold that there is just America. Others divide it into North and South. Other, more political takes, add a Central. There’s the linguistic angle too, wwith French, English, Spanish and Portuguese. Or Latin, which somehow never includes Quebec.
In any case, Mexico is not in South America.
David BR (@david-br)
8th September 2023, 19:16
Just wondering where Marko thinks Brazil (Senna) is located then. Or maybe he forgot that example. Easy mistake to make for someone deeply involved in Formula 1 all his life. Argentina (Fangio)? Maybe some region in Italy?
Edvaldo
8th September 2023, 19:29
And now that he apologized, let’s pretend it never happened, all good until he does it again.
That’s probably how his mind works.
Tomcat173 (@tomcat173)
9th September 2023, 5:06
This apology isn’t worth much, it’s just not genuine.
It’s comical how they put out an apology that was clearly written by someone in PR, and only made out to be written by the person that put their foot in their mouth initially.
PacificPR (@streydt)
9th September 2023, 9:52
Also they fired / expelled Juri Vips for very similar reasons from the Red Bull program – Red Bull can’t in their right mind let Marko continue with this half arsed apology.
Chris Horton
8th September 2023, 20:18
Marko is a clown. It’s time he stepped down from his position.
Red Bull’s young driver programme is a disaster and add to that Marko’s bumbling and outspoken behavior, and what needs to happen is abundantly clear.
Sergio is an infinitely more accomplished driver than Helmut Marko could ever dream of being.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
8th September 2023, 21:22
Let’s replace him with an arm-folding, face-pulling YouTuber. That’ll get Red Bull winning more races.
Brian Hamilton
8th September 2023, 22:28
Maybe Mexico, Central America, and South America should just push pause on Red Bull products.
Roberto Fratelli (@rfratelli)
9th September 2023, 1:29
As if we never had great drivers from South America…
Dan
9th September 2023, 8:51
And I thought Mexico was part of Central America? Guess not then.
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
9th September 2023, 15:34
Central America is generally considered to be a part of the North American continent.
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
9th September 2023, 15:35
Of course, when geology and geography meet, there is rarely full consensus.
Dale
9th September 2023, 12:44
He might have a powerful position at Red Bull, but he’s proved time and time again that he has no class, & even less integrity.
paulsf1fix
9th September 2023, 13:37
It’s time for this nasty little man to leave Red Bull, the team were quick to fire Vips so what makes Marko so special? Marko out please Seb Vettel in. Thanks!
BasCB (@bascb)
9th September 2023, 21:16
Marko has been an obvious racist and Servus TV a pretty abhorrent channel for disinformation, for rightwing extremists, for pretty bad stuff during covid as well If I am not mistaken.
I would hope that the current Management of Red Bull would start getting away from that sort of stuff soon. Marko should defenitely be, since he’s not even had much success with their great junior program after Ricciardo, pushing through various drivers at the wrong time for them just to fill the gap. Verstappen doesn’t count, he was guided up the ladder by his father and was in talks with Mercedes, but Marko/RB were able to buy him away from their rivals with the promise of a STR drive when Mercedes could only offer a reserve driver role and the promise of maybe something in the future.
Ankita
12th September 2023, 9:26
If he had say something against Arab, Indians, Chinese, or African countries, their would be a huge outcry. But for some reason it is striking that this type of comments on (or against) Latin Americans never elicit the same level of outrage. I see it often in the US.
tom (@)
10th September 2023, 16:10
Ja ja- it iss time to muzzle Herr Marko.
Electroball76
11th September 2023, 0:41
Marko can’t change the way he is.
He’s an Australian.
John Kurtweil
11th September 2023, 14:06
What’s wrong with insults anyway. One should never apologise, say what you mean..mean what you say.
Pod
11th September 2023, 16:27
I mean, it’s not even factually accurate. Mexico is a country in North America, not South America.