Red Bull's Christian Horner addresses Helmut Marko's controversial comments about Sergio Perez

Marko faced backlash after implying that Perez's performance was influenced by his 'South American' mindset, a statement that garnered criticism from various quarters.

Marko subsequently issued a personal apology to Perez for his remarks. In response, Christian Horner shed light on Red Bull's stance and inability to take direct action against Marko.

"Firstly, those comments were not right, and I think Helmut quickly realized that and apologized both publicly and directly to Sergio," Horner told Sky Sports F1. "You are always learning in life, even at 80 years of age, and I think inevitably lessons have been learned."

Horner emphasized Perez's significance within the team, stating, "Checo is a massively popular and important member of the team. We have a huge following around the world, and we take that very seriously and very responsibly."

Highlighting the broader perspective, Horner explained, "From Helmut's perspective, he has apologized. He is not an employee of Red Bull Racing, so in terms of why we did not put out a statement, he is part of the Red Bull wider group, who issued that apology through Servus TV. Helmut is technically an employee directly or consultant of the wider group. We've spoken about it, and he regrets it."

In response to Marko's comments, fellow team bosses Zak Brown of McLaren, Haas' Guenther Steiner, and Toto Wolff of Mercedes also weighed in on the issue.

Zak Brown emphasized the need for caution in one's words: "You have to be very careful about what you say to anybody. It was not a great comment, and I can understand why people were offended by it."

Guenther Steiner believed that if Marko did not mean his comments, "he shouldn't have said it," while Toto Wolff expressed his disapproval, stating, "It is a topic that is not at all funny, and it is not only what has been said, but it is the mindset that you can even come up with those things, and it hasn't got any place in Formula 1."

Wolff further emphasized the need for diversity and inclusion in Formula 1, saying, "We all know we need more diversity in Formula 1, more inclusion with teams doing their best to create an environment where this is possible. Statements like this do not shine the light that Formula 1 deserves."

As Formula 1 gears up for the Singapore Grand Prix, tensions arising from Marko's comments serve as a reminder of the importance of maintaining respect and inclusivity within the sport. 

The Marina Bay Circuit's demanding track promises to test drivers' skills across 5.063km of challenging street surface and humid conditions.

 

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