Opinion | Red Bull Racing don't need the fuss surrounding Marko at all

Thoughts go back to an incident which occurred more than a year ago. Juri Vips, at the time a member of the Red Bull Junior Team, used the n-word several times during a stream on Twitch - in the heat of a sim race. It didn't take long before an outcry on social media (rightly so) forced Red Bull to publicly distance themselves from their young driver's statements. Initially, Vips was suspended, and later, his contract was terminated. "The team do not condone any form of racism," the Austrians said in a statement.

A high price paid

First of all, it is important to stress that this is certainly not an argument for Marko to be dismissed by Red Bull. It was a stupid remark by Marko, who has since clarified that he did not intend to insult Perez and his compatriots. Just as Vips never intended to insult people based on their skin colour at the time. Unlike Marko, the Estonian did pay a high price for his statement: for a year, no racing team wanted him in any class. Last week, it was announced that he will (finally) get a second chance in IndyCar.

At the time, what would have happened if Max Verstappen had made such a comment rather than Vips? Verstappen would have quickly apologised - exactly as Vips did - and then? Would Red Bull Racing have pushed their flagship driver aside, using the same argument that was mentioned? To ask the question is to answer it. Of course not! Of course, Helmut Marko is no Max Verstappen, but a public slap on the wrist hasn't yet happened. Let alone Red Bull sidelining the Austrian. Again, I am not at all suggesting this should happen, but there is something of a double standard in the mechanism shown. In both cases, a group of people felt (rightly) aggrieved.

Marko not making Perez faster

Marko should ask himself why he feels it necessary to make such sour statements about Perez every time. Almost every Grand Prix, team boss Christian Horner explains he is happy with the Mexican's performance. But then there is often Marko. When he gets a microphone shoved under his nose, his harsh words create a strong suspicion that Perez's position is in doubt.

All those harsh words will not make Perez drive any better. Just as in the past, Pierre Gasly, Nyck de Vries or Alex Albon did not perform better after Marko's constant criticism either. Indeed, in Perez's case, his huge fan base in Mexico only gets more frustrated with Red Bull, which they see as a team that emphatically favours Verstappen.

Nonsense, of course. Verstappen is a top talent, a driver you encounter once in a generation. Every other driver sits in a shadow next to Verstappen. So does Perez. Instead of constantly attacking the Mexican, Marko could also choose to put him in a state of mind that makes him feel comfortable and allows him to fulfil his role as second best behind Verstappen. If Perez is not already doing that. The veteran is second in the world championship, has scored 49 points more than the number three and has been on the podium eight times (including two wins).

The hassle surrounding Red Bull Racing is unnecessary

If Marko feels performance is lagging anyway, why did he bring in the Mexican at the time? Perez was anything but a rookie. An expert like Marko surely had a perfect idea of what Perez could and could not do, and it is no surprise that he doesn't finish every race right behind Verstappen's gearbox.

Actually, it's just a shame. Red Bull Racing doesn't need all this fuss at all. It should be about the team's exceptional performance in 2023, but unfortunately, Helmut Marko is making headlines with his unnecessary statements.