Helmut Marko refuses to talk about controversy over his Xenophobic remarks about Sergio Perez ahead of the Singapore GP

Sergio Perez has not yet given any comment regarding the controversy himself.

Helmut Marko refuses to talk about controversy over his Xenophobic remarks about Sergio Perez ahead of the Singapore GP

Sergio Perez and Helmut Marko (Credits: WTF1)

Over many years with Red Bull, Helmut Marko has gained a reputation for being very ruthless with their drivers. Many of Red Bull’s past drivers have claimed that they actually feared him during their stint with the team. However, Marko crossed all boundaries when he made xenophobic comments about Sergio Perez, blaming his ethnicity for his inconsistent performances.

After Marko made these comments, he faced severe backlash from the fans and from F1 circles alike, with drivers like Lewis Hamilton showing their support for Perez. After a few days of silence, Marko finally issued an apology for his comments. With all eyes on him in Singapore, Marko was asked the inevitable question regarding the situation he was in. However, he refused to give any opinion as he said that he would only answer the sports-related questions.

YouTube video

“If there is any question –on that topic–, I will not answer it. I will only talk about sporting issues,” said Marko, as per F1-Insider.com. (H/T: SoyMotor)

FS Video

Also, while Marko’s comments were not only xenophobic and completely unacceptable, they were also factually incorrect. Marko blamed Perez’s ‘South American’ origins for his lack of concentration, while Perez actually hails from Mexico, which lies in the North American continent.

Also read: Carlos Sainz claims hype for Max Verstappen started well before the Red Bull driver came to F1

Helmut Marko claims to be worried about the Singapore Grand Prix

Helmut Marko
Helmut Marko (Credits: PlanetF1)

As the Singapore Grand Prix is just days away, the teams are gearing up for one of the longest tracks on the F1 calendar (4.928 km) which is not only demanding physically, but mentally as well. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko talked about his points of concern regarding the race.

A big reason for Marko’s concern is that while Max Verstappen is completely at a level of his own, he has never won the Singapore GP. With a considerable portion of the track removed (Turn 16 to Turn 19), pace on straights will play a much bigger role. Marko said that he is also constantly keeping an eye on Ferrari since they probably gave Red Bull the most competition they have seen this season at Monza.

“Many things can always happen there. Verstappen has never won in Singapore. The area from turn 16 to 19 has been eliminated and this makes it faster and more unpredictable for us. What worries me the most is Ferrari, because in Monza they were already very strong,” said Marko.

Discover more: