Horner clarifies Marko position after Perez comments

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has clarified why the team did not release a statement following the offensive comments made by Helmut Marko regarding Sergio Perez.

The 80 year-old Red Bull team advisor had blamed Perez's inconsistent form in 2023 on his ethnicity during an interview on Servus TV.

While Perez insisted that he did not take offence to the comments, over the Singapore Grand Prix weekend the FIA issued a warning to Marko.

The governing body said that he had been "reminded of his responsibility as a public figure of motor sport in line with the FIA code of ethics."

Horner acknowledged that Marko's comments were 'not right' after they attracted criticism from his fellow peers.

When asked why the team did not release a statement, Horner explained to media, including RacingNews365: "His contract is with Red Bull GmbH, he's not an employee and he's not on the payroll of Red Bull Racing.

"To be a director doesn't mean that you are automatically an employee, as we see with other companies if you look at who the directorships are.

"His [Marko] reporting line and structure is to Red Bull GmbH, so that doesn't sit on our books."