(Motorsports news) After a season in which Red Bull driver Perez underperformed teammate Max Verstappen, Marko hasn’t always held back in his criticism of the Mexican. But he escalated the rhetoric when he claimed that Perez’s nationality was partly to blame for his problems in comments he made to Red Bull’s own channel ServusTV earlier this week.
We are aware of his qualifying issues and his form swings, added Marko. He is South American and simply not as mentally sharp as Sebastian Vettel or Max Verstappen are. Marko’s remarks were offensive to Perez and all South Americans, but they also made a fuss in Mexico, which is technically a part of North America.
On Friday, ServusTV apologized on behalf of Marko for his remarks amid continuous rumors about Perez’s future with the squad and mounting dissatisfaction with them. “I would like to apologize for my offensive remark and want to make it absolutely clear that I do not believe that we can generalize about the people from any country, any race, or any ethnicity,” the statement on the organization’s website read.
I was trying to make the point that Checo’s performance has varied this year, but it was incorrect to blame this on his cultural background. Perez’s deal with Red Bull calls for him to stay there through 2024, but there has been increasing talk regarding whether or not he will stick with the team after that.
After the Italian Grand Prix, the Mexican gave the first indication that he would pursue other opportunities when he said that his conviction in his ability to help the team succeed was essential to his decision to stay. With the season we’ve had, he said, “I also want to be in a setting where I feel like I can contribute in the next few races.” He made the statement to Spanish channel DAZN.
And if this location isn’t available in 2024, we’ll need to find another one. But right now, winning more races and championships with Red Bull are my top priorities. “I have a contract that runs through next year, so we’ll talk sometime then,”
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