FIA Warns Helmut Marko After Offensive Remarks About Sergio Perez
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Helmut Marko, officially an advisor to Red Bull but best known as the most public voice behind Red Bull Racing's driver selection process for the better part of 20 years, has been issued a formal warning by the FIA after discriminatory comments about current Red Bull driver Sergio Perez. The official warning comes days after Marko's own delayed apology.
The controversy stems from comments made on the Red Bull-owned Austrian channel Servus TV, where Marko said that a down season for Perez could be a result of an innate lack of focus because "he is South American and he is just not as completely focused in his head as [Max Verstappen] and [Sebastian Vettel]." This is a factual inaccuracy in addition to a racist stereotype, as Perez is from Mexico, a nation notably on the continent of North America.
In a later comment shared with Austria's OE24, Marko fixed the factual problem while doubling down on the actual issue with the statement, saying "It wasn’t meant that way. I meant that a Mexican has a different mentality than a German or a Dutchman. But who knows, maybe it’s controlled.” Marko eventually apologized publicly for both remarks. Additionally, he met with Perez for a private apology that Perez has publicly accepted.
According to Motorsport, the FIA's official response came in the form of a written warning sent to Marko. While it may not be a suspension or financial penalty, the formal response shows that the FIA considers the language used about Perez unacceptable. It is a relatively weak response, but one that still unequivocally declares that the sanctioning body is standing behind its competitors against racially charged comments from other major public figures.
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