Red Bull chief apologises to Sergio Perez over ‘offensive remark’

Helmut Marko referred to Perez’s ethnicity when discussing the Mexican’s patchy form in 2023

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has apologised after referring to Sergio Perez’s ethnicity when talking about the Mexican’s performance so far this season.

Marko, 80, has worked alongside Christian Horner and Adrian Newey virtually since Red Bull’s formation in F1 in 2005 and holds responsibility in picking the drivers, both for the current world champions and their sister team AlphaTauri.

The Austrian is known for his firm opinions but has shown remorse after comments made following last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix in Monza, when Perez finished second behind team-mate Max Verstappen.

Marko originally told Austrian outlet ServusTV: “We know that he has problems in qualifying, he has fluctuations in form.

“He is South American and he is just not as completely focused in his head as Max [Verstappen] is or as Sebastian [Vettel].”

Marko has often referred to Perez as south American when discussing his form – even though the 33-year-old is from Mexico, geographically in north America.

The Red Bull advisor then made the situation worse, when Austrian website oe24 reported him saying: “It wasn’t meant that way. I meant that a Mexican has a different mentality than a German or a Dutchman.

Helmut Marko has apologised after comments made about Sergio Perez (Getty Images)

“But who knows, maybe it’s controlled.”

The 80-year-old later released a statement: “I would like to apologise for my offensive remark.

“I want to make it absolutely clear that I do not believe that we can generalise about the people from any country, any race, any ethnicity.”

Perez won two of the first four races in 2023 but has not won since, with Max Verstappen claiming a record-breaking 10 victories on the bounce.

The Mexican is now 145 points behind Verstappen in the championship standings ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend.