Helmut Marko breaks silence on backlash over South American stereotype comments targeted at Sergio Perez

Renowned for his unfiltered remarks, Helmut Marko recently stirred controversy with comments about Sergio Perez‘s performance, sparking backlash across the Formula 1 community. While addressing Perez’s Italian Grand Prix race, Marko made a statement that didn’t sit well with many.

Earlier this week, in an interview with  Servus TV, Helmut Marko commented on Perez’s performance saying, “Let’s remember that he is South American, and so he is not as focused as Max Verstappen or Sebastian Vettel was.” This was followed by a slight appreciation of Perez’s race at Monza. 

Perez’s Monza weekend was a whirlwind. Despite an underwhelming qualifying behind George Russell‘s Mercedes, he demonstrated his racing skill, engaging in intense battles with Russell, Charles Leclerc, and Carlos Sainz during the main race. Marko praised his efforts, saying, “But racing is his forte, and he had a very good race. Overtaking three drivers, in George Russell and the Ferraris, was not easy.”

However, the stereotypical remarks about Perez triggered a firing spree on Marko across social media. In response to the backlash over his comments, Marko attempted to clarify his stance in an interview with Austrian magazine, oe24, stating, “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 [the mentality] controlled.”

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Sergio Perez is North American and not South American

It’s crucial to consider the broader context when assessing these remarks. Sergio Perez’s journey with Red Bull Racing has featured challenges, particularly in adapting to car adjustments, raising questions about his flexibility. Within this context, Marko suggested that Perez’s concentration level might differ from that of his European peers.

While Marko’s clarification may have been well-intentioned, it didn’t mitigate the outrage his initial comments had generated. Many found his stereotypical remarks both offensive and factually incorrect, given that Perez hails from Mexico, which is situated in the southern part of North America, not South America. Despite all the drama that followed from his remarks, the Austrian hasn’t yet issued any formal apology to his Mexican driver.

Marko’s tendency to make controversial statements is no stranger to the Formula 1 world. Still, this incident has once again ignited a debate about the responsibility of prominent sports figures to be mindful of the impact of their words. Currently, Perez is fighting to keep his seat with the team, and Red Bull has dropped hints that they have been searching for other options.

In case you missed it:

• Sergio Perez reveals the root cause of his drop in performance amidst sabotage conspiracies
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