More stories

  • in

    F1 star George Russell close to tears after crashing one lap from end in Singapore as fans say it’s ‘heartbreaking’

    MERCEDES driver George Russell was forced to hold back tears as he was interviewed by Sky Sports at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix.The Brit crashed out on the last lap of the race when he was on course to finish third.
    Russell crashed out during the last lap of the Singapore Grand PrixCredit: Sky Sports
    He had to fight back tears as he spoke to Sky SportsCredit: Sky Sports
    Russell had been battling to overtake McLaren’s Lando Norris who was in second but pushed things too far on turn 10, clipping the wall before finding himself in the track’s barriers.
    An exasperated Russell was heard shouting over the team radio after he ended up in the wall, saying: “Aaaah! No! No!”
    Russell’s crash meant it was the second time in his last three races that he has failed to score a point.
    The non-finish allowed team-mate Lewis Hamilton to scoop up third place instead.
    READ MORE ON F1
    There had been some controversy between the two during the race, with Hamilton forced off the track on the first corner after he said he “Got pushed wide by George”.
    Later in the race Hamilton urged his team-mate to hurry up as he believed he had a pace advantage on the leading three drivers.
    One fan on Twitter said: “If you ever needed evidence that Mercedes will take points off each other in a WDC fight… Hamilton wins that if Russell had let him go, he had so much more pace.”
    An emotional George Russell fought back tears as he spoke to Sky about his late crash.
    Most read in Motorsport
    FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
    The British driver clearly felt that he had enough to gain the lead from Carlos Sainz on the last laps and just pushed the car beyond its limits.
    He said: “Yeah, no words to be honest. Such a long race, a physical race. Difficult to keep concentration. I think we were half a car’s length from winning the race had I got past Lando when I had the opportunity and I think we would have been able to get past Carlos.
    “And then that last lap, a millimetre lapse in concentration and then game over. So just so sorry to the whole team and yeah.”
    Fans reacted to the emotional interview on Twitter with one saying: “You can immediately see the sadness in his face he didnt deserve that crash.”
    Another wrote: “How heartbreaking this is to hear from him.”
    A third wrote: “I can tell he was crying just before this interview.”
    While a fourth added: “Hate Mercedes but this is so heartbreaking.”
    Russell will have a chance to make amends at the Japanese Grand Prix next Sunday. More

  • in

    Lewis Hamilton grabs third after Russell crashes out in dramatic F1 Singapore Grand Prix as Sainz ends Red Bull run

    CARLOS SAINZ won a thrilling Singapore GP as Max Verstappen’s winning run came to an end.The Ferrari driver, who had taken pole the previous day, held off a strong challenge from British trio, Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
    Carlos Sainz ended Red Bull’s winning run with a victory in the Singapore Grand PrixCredit: Getty
    He celebrated his victory with the fansCredit: Reuters
    Lewis Hamilton finished in third placeCredit: Getty
    The Mercedes driver was just behind his compatriot Lando NorrisCredit: AFP
    A late mistake from Russell cost him a place on the podium as Norris and Hamilton finished in P2 and P3 respectively.
    Both Sainz and Charles Leclerc made an excellent start while Hamilton squeezed past Russell and Norris but he left it too late to brake.
    Hamilton was forced to take evasive action and ran wide into Turn One and when he re-joined the track he was running in third place – much to Russell and Norris’ frustration.
    Both drivers radioed their teams calling for Hamilton to allow them to pass as he had gained a clear advantage, despite his own pleas that he “got pushed wide by George”.
    READ MORE ON F1
    Eventually the seven-time world champion did yield and allowed both his Mercedes team-mate and the McLaren to pass, dropping him back to fifth.
    Meanwhile, Verstappen had made his way up from 11th on the grid to eighth but his progress was soon stopped by Esteban Ocon, as the Red Bull man was held behind his Alpine.
    Ferrari opted to protect Sainz’s lead by sacrificing Leclerc and telling him to slow down and block Russell from performing the undercut with the pitstops.
    The race was turned on its head on lap 20 when Logan Sargeant duffed his Williams into the barriers, breaking off his front wing.
    Most read in Motorsport
    Logan Sargeant saw his front wing come off in a collision with the barriersCredit: Getty
    FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
    As the American made his way back to the pits, with debris dropping from his car, the race stewards deployed the safety car which threatened to shuffle the pack.
    Both Verstappen and Sergio Perez stayed out on track while the leaders all pitted for fresh tyres.
    A slow stop for Leclerc hurt the Ferrari man’s track position and when they returned to the track the running order was Sanz, Verstappen, Russell, Perez, Norris, Leclerc and Hamilton.
    A slow stop for Leclerc hurt his track positionCredit: AFP
    On lap 24, Russell passed Verstappen at turn 16 while Hamilton almost leapfrogged Norris and Perez.
    Norris recovered to move into third while Hamilton moved up to fourth-place on lap 27 when he passed Verstappen at turn seven.
    The British trio running behind the Ferrari continued to push with Russell keen to remind his team over the radio, saying: “I want to go for this win!”
    Russell continued to bide his time, with Sainz doing just enough to hold position out in front.
    But there was another twist when Esteban Ocon conked out on lap 43 to mark an unhappy end to his race on his 27th birthday.
    His stricken Alpine prompted a Virtual Safety Car and Mercedes decided to pit both Russell and Hamilton for fresh tyres from fourth and fifth with just 18 laps to go.
    Both drivers returned to the track in the same position but having lost ground on Leclerc, who was running in third.
    However, with their new tyres they were given the all-clear to hunt down the top three, with Russell having to make up a 17.6 second gap to race leader Sainz.
    He passed Leclerc on lap 54 with Hamilton next up to pass the Ferrari driver with Norris next in the Merc duo’s sights.
    It set up a thrilling finale as the four cars were separated by less than two seconds with Sainz being smart to keep Norris just enough behind him.
    He kept the gap under a second so that the McLaren man had the benefit of DRS to fend off the threat from Russell and Hamilton.
    Russel slammed into the barriers after a last ditch attempt to squeeze further up the standings
    The race went down to the wire and just as Russell tried one last bold attempt to squeeze past Norris, he bit off too much and ended up in the barriers at turn 10.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    It put him out of the race on the last lap, promoting Hamilton to third behind Norris and Sainz.
    Leclerc was fourth and Verstappen came home in fifth as his bid to win an 11th straight race was ended.
    Max Verstappen has seen an end to his incredible winning streakCredit: Getty
    Carlos Sainz wound up as the winnerCredit: Getty
    Lando Norris finished in second place with Hamilton thirdCredit: Getty More

  • in

    F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2023 LIVE RESULTS: Sainz wins epic Singapore GP while Hamilton grabs P3 after Russell’s crash

    CARLOS SAINZ has won what turned out to be a thrilling Singapore Grand Prix.It is Sainz’s second ever Grand Prix win but it will mean a lot claiming his first driving for Ferrari.
    Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton finished third after his Mercedes teammate George Russell crashed out late on.
    And league leader Verstappen’s run comes to an end with the Dutchman finishing 5th.

    RESULT: Sainz (P1) Norris (P2) Hamilton (P3)
    Grand Prix start time: 1pm BST
    TV channel UK: Sky Sports F1
    Live stream: NOW TV

    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
    Keep up to date with all the action from Marina Bay below…
    Ferrari enjoy successful day
    With Charles Leclerc holding off Max Verstappen to keep fourth place, it was a good day for Ferrari.
    They started first and third on the grid but it was always going to be difficult to hold that for the entire race.
    Leclerc was struggling with his tyres towards the end and did well to finish fourth although all eyes will be on today’s winner.
    Credit: Reuters
    Spaniard gets his just desserts
    Carlos Sainz is awarded with the Driver of the Day award.
    On reflection it was completely deserved as he used Lando Norris as a tool to ensure that Norris kept both of the Mercedes cars away from challenging him.
    They used to drive together and today they worked as a team to keep their podium places.
    Credit: @F1
    Sainz secures first Grand Prix for Ferrari
    He started the race in pole position and managed to hold on for the win despite some tough challenges.
    It is Sainz’s second ever Grand Prix win but it will mean a lot claiming his first driving for Ferrari.
    He aided Lando Norris getting second, knowing that it would help his cause in holding onto first place.
    Credit: AFP
    Climatic end to Singapore Grand Prix
    That was one of the closest finishes we have seen for some time in F1.
    Only 1.4 seconds separated the four cars at one stage.
    You have to feel for George Russell who crashed off on the final lap.
    Credit: @F1
    Singapore Grand Prix results
    Here is how we finished in Singapore with Russell going into the barriers on one of the final turns:

    Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
    Lando Norris (Alpine)
    Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
    Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
    Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

    It was a great drive by Lando Norris to hold off both of the Mercedes’ cars and he is in with a shout for driver of the day surely, although the eventual winner will be in with a good shout.
    Carlos Sainz wins the Singapore Grand Prix
    Lap 61/62 – Sainz leads, Norris second
    This is an amazing finish with 1.4 seconds between the front four cars.
    Sainz reports his front tyres are completely gone.
    Norris manages to hold off Russell, just.
    Credit: Reuters
    Lap 59/62 – Sainz leads, Norris second
    Both Mercedes have race leader Sainz in their sights.
    They have to try and deal with Lando Norris firstly though.
    Verstappen has managed to move up to sixth place.
    Lap 57/62 – Sainz leads, Norris second
    Norris is closing the gap on leader Sainz.
    The Ferrari driver has work cut out with three cars all vying for his position.
    This should be an exciting finish to the race.
    Verstappen is over 30 seconds behind the race leaders.
    Lap 55/62 – Sainz leads, Norris second
    Russell is on the tail of Leclerc now.
    He can actually do his teammate some favours as makes life more difficult for him.
    Not for long as Russell takes the Ferrari at turn fourteen.
    Hamilton uses DRS well to take Leclerc also.
    Lap 53/62 – Sainz leads, Norris second
    As it stands, Liam Lawson is still in the points in 9th place.
    What an achievement that would be in his third race.
    Meanwhile, Russell keeps on closing the gap on the front three.
    Credit: Getty
    Lap 51/62 – Sainz leads, Norris second
    George Russell is only 11.5 seconds off the leader now.
    The two Mercedes drivers will be going at it from now until the end of the race on those new tyres.
    Sainz, Norris and Leclerc will need to have some defence to keep them at bay.
    Lap 49/62 – Sainz leads, Norris second
    Alonso is having a terrible day at the office.
    He served his five second penalty when he pitted, it was a terrible pit stop as they struggled to get the back end of the car up.
    He overshoots a corner but fortunately gets restarted before a safety car was needed.
    Alonso finds himself back in 17th place however.
    Lap 47/62 – Sainz leads, Norris second
    Both Mercedes cars decide to use the safety car to pit.
    They are both out there now on a new set of medium tyres.
    The three cars in front of them are on older hard compound tyres.
    It could be a fantastic finish to this race.
    Lap 45/62 – Sainz leads, Russell second
    Ocon is out of the race it seems, more importantly, his car is still out on the track.
    A virtual safety car has been issued.
    The Alpine driver screams on the team radio, he is devastated, he was having a great drive there.
    Lap 43/62 – Sainz leads, Russell second
    After they both pit, Verstappen is now in 15th place, Perez in 18th place.
    That is not something you expect to see with these Red Bull cars.
    Someone take a picture of that leaderboard is unique to say the least from what we have seen this season.
    The pair need a safety car to come back into contention now.
    Credit: Getty
    Lap 41/62 – Sainz leads, Russell second
    Sainz is driving well and frustrating Russell in second.
    He is not giving him the chance to take him, while conserving his tyres.
    Perez heads to the pits, not surprising seeing that car snake out on corners.
    Lap 39/62 – Sainz leads, Russell second
    Ocon goes past Alonso on a corner where they seemed no space for two Formula 1 cars, wild.
    Sainz is on the team radio asking them to tell him when they think he should start pushing it.
    Confirmation that is trying to manage his tyres for this race.
    Lap 37/62 – Sainz leads, Russell second
    It will be interesting to see when both of the Red Bull’s decide to come into the pit lane.
    As we see Perez taking a corner, the car snakes out at the back.
    It is evident that they have no grip whatsoever.
    Lap 35/62 – Sainz leads, Russell second
    The front five drivers are only separated by around 5.5 seconds.
    There is then a similar gap from fifth place to Verstappen in sixth.
    Alonso is starting to put some pressure on Perez in seventh.
    Credit: Splash
    Lap 33/62 – Sainz leads, Russell second
    Verstappen is on his team radio telling them the tyre is dead and it is like ‘driving on ice’.
    That is not good news for the rest of the field as the Dutchman has done 30 laps on the hard compound.
    Their plan was not to pit again but that would mean 40 laps on their hard tyres.
    Lap 31/62 – Sainz leads, Russell second
    Russell is on the team radio stating how slow Sainz is going.
    He thinks he is either trying to manage his tyres or looking to get cars to back up behind him.
    If it is the latter it is working with both Norris and Hamilton less than a second behind him.
    Lap 29/62 – Sainz leads, Russell second
    Verstappen is down to sixth place now with Perez in seventh.
    It does not look like it is going to be Red Bull’s day today.
    Mercedes seem to be in a strong position to dominate this race currently.
    Lap 27/62 – Sainz leads, Russell second
    Lando Norris is the latest driver to take Max Verstappen.
    The Red Bull cars are struggling at the moment.
    Sergio Perez is complaining that Lewis Hamilton needs to give his place back after gaining an advantage by going off-track.
    Lap 25/62 – Sainz leads, Verstappen second
    It is all change now with the Red Bull’s in the top five.
    George Russell takes advantage and makes a move on Max Verstappen to move into second.
    Lewis Hamilton manages to get ahead of Sergio Perez although he went off the track to do so.
    Red Bull seem to be struggling for grip on their hard compound tyres.
    Credit: AP
    Load more entries… More

  • in

    Rising motorbike star Leydy Diaz, 24, dies in qualifying race crash on ‘dangerous’ bend where 3 riders were injured

    A TALENTED young biker has died after a horror crash saw her lose control of her bike during a qualification race.Leydy Diaz Joya, 24, was pronounced dead after crashing during the second lap at Tocancipa Autodrome in Tocancipa, Colombia.
    The keen motorcyclist had been competing for a few yearsCredit: @lady_diaz98/CEN
    Leydy died doing what she lovedCredit: @lady_diaz98/CEN
    The fatal event on September 3 took place on a steep curve that also left two other bikers injured during qualifications for the presitigous Grand Prix Colombia.
    She fell and crashed as she attempted to ride up the narrow curve on the track, nicknamed “Curva Motor” and “El Curvon”.
    The president of the Colombian Motorcycle Federation, Carlos Andres Ramirez, said two other riders also fell at the dangerous curve but Leydy was most badly injured.
    He told local media: “Today’s race was running counterclockwise, and it was entering the bend that she went off.
    READ MORE IN MOTORSPORT
    “Actually, three riders went down. In qualifying, everyone is turning and trying to set the best time, and no one knows who is ahead or behind.
    The curve which claimed Leydy’s life was not the “most complex” on the track, the high speed she was riding at claimed her life.
    Paramedics did their best to revive her but the young woman could not be saved.
    Ramirez continued: “The impact was severe, all protocols were activated, on-site attention was provided, but unfortunately, due to the seriousness of the impact, she did not survive all the procedures.”
    Most read in Motorsport
    Authorities have promised to investigate the causes of the accident through technical analysis.
    The rest of the motorcycle event was cancelled due to the young athlete’s death.
    The event organisers said in a statement: “On this dark day for Colombian Motorsport, we pay tribute to the promising life and career of Leydy Diaz, which was cut short by the brutal accident.”
    Leydy was a mechanical engineer by profession and dedicated her life to sports.
    Before beginning motorcycling, she was a professional skater for 11 consecutive years and a cyclist for two years.
    This year, she represented her country at the Italika Racing Ibero-American Women’s Championship in Mexico City.
    In an earlier interview with local media, Leydy said: “Thank you for the opportunities, the experiences, and for those people who were part of a dream, the one I fought for a long time and managed to achieve.”
    Tributes have continued to pour in for the talented motorcyclist, and many fans have commented on her last Instagram post before her untimely death.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    One said: “Strength to her family. She passed away doing what made her happiest.”
    Another shared a poem: “Every route, every bend, and every kilometre travelled, we remember lady bikes with the wind in our faces. Her biker spirit will always roll with us. ”
    Leydy was a fierce competitorCredit: @lady_diaz98/CEN
    She often posted pictures of her bikesCredit: @lady_diaz98/CEN
    Tributes have poured in after the horror accidentCredit: @lady_diaz98/CEN More

  • in

    F1 star Lance Stroll forced to pull out of Singapore GP after horror 150mph crash as team give injury update on Canadian

    LANCE STROLL has pulled out of the Singapore Grand Prix following his horror 150mph crash in qualifying.The Aston Martin driver is said to be “still sore” after losing control of his car at high-speed.
    Lance Stroll is out of the Singapore GPCredit: Getty
    The driver lost a wheel at 150mphCredit: AFP
    The Canadian is “still sore” from the incidentCredit: AFP
    Stroll, 24, was on his final lap of Q1 when the “beyond scary to watch” crash occurred.
    The driver clipped the kerb and flew into the wall as he lost a wheel at 150mph.
    The chassis of the car was smashed and qualifying was delayed by 34 minutes as workers cleared up the debris.
    Stroll incredibly jumped from the car and seemed unhurt after the horror incident.
    READ MORE IN SPORT
    But as a safety precaution, the decision has been made for him not to race in today’s Grand Prix.
    An Aston Martin statement read: “The whole team are relieved that Lance was able to step out of the car after yesterday’s accident.
    “However, he is still feeling the after-effects of such a high-impact crash.
    “Our priority now is that he makes a full and speedy recovery.
    Most read in Motorsport
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
    “Together, we have decided that he will sit out this evening’s race and instead focus fully on returning to the cockpit for next weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.”
    On the crash, Stroll said yesterday: “It was really bad. We had a bad outlap with traffic and there was no temperature in the tyres. There was no grip.
    “I thought we were going out and I tried to push to make up some time, but it didn’t work out.”
    Carlos Sainz will begin on pole with George Russell and Charles Leclerc behind him.
    Red Bull had a disastrous qualifying session due to car problems and Max Verstappen will start in 11th and his team-mate Sergio Perez languishes in 13th.
    Stroll’s car was removed and qualifying was delayed by 34 minutesCredit: AP More

  • in

    F1 star Lance Stroll loses wheel in horror 150mph crash at Singapore Grand Prix as fans gasp ‘beyond scary to watch’

    LANCE STROLL destroyed his Aston Martin after losing a wheel in a 150mph crash that was “beyond scary to watch” during qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix.Viewers were “amazed” the F1 ace could walk away without serious injury after slamming into a barrier on his final lap of Q1.
    Lance Stroll’s spectacular crash horrified fans at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore as well as TV viewersCredit: AFP
    The Canadian leapt clear following his barrier smash in Q1Credit: AFP
    Viewers were amazed and relieved Stroll was able to walk freeCredit: EPA
    Track workers remove the debris of Stroll’s car, including a front wheelCredit: AFP
    The Canadian saw his front left wheel ripped off and much of the chassis on the same side crushed in a smash that delayed a thrilling qualifying session by 34 minutes.
    Stroll had lost control as he veered to the left, with his car spinning in the opposite direction and into the barrier.
    The debris almost took out Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
    Replays revealed Stroll was sent rocking around his cockpit by the high-speed impact.
    READ MORE F1 STORIES
    But the 24-year-old appeared unscathed as he got out – after being protected by recent extra safety features for his car.
    He said afterwards: “It was really bad. We had a bad outlap with traffic and there was no temperature in the tyres. There was no grip.
    “I thought we were going out and I tried to push to make up some time, but it didn’t work out.”
    It came as Max Verstappen’s chances of extending his and Red Bull’s winning run suffered a huge blow, with Carlos Sainz taking pole.
    Most read in Motorsport
    But relieved viewers were more focused on Stroll’s escape.
    One fan posted, “Holy hell that was wild” and another wrote: “Crazy how those curbs can send a car spinning.”
    FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
    A third summed up the reaction of many observers: “Those cockpits are incredible how strong they are honestly, and to think people were against halos as well.”
    Meanwhile, Verstappen is chasing an 11th straight victory – with his Red Bull team winning EVERY race so far this season.
    But a shocker for the Dutchman and another poor performance from teammate Sergio Perez mean they start down in 11th and 13th place respectively.
    Verstappen was livid and stomped from his car to the team’s garage in a huff after complaining about the car’s handling.
    It was the first time no Red Bull car had reached the top 10 since the Russian Grand Prix in 2018.
    He now has his work cut out if he is to maintain his winning record, especially with Sainz looking spectacularly quick.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    The Spanish driver, who was third last out in Italy, was 0.072 seconds quicker than George Russell, who qualified in second place.
    Charles Leclerc will line up in third place while Norris was fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth.
    Max Verstappen was gutted to miss out on poleCredit: Getty More

  • in

    Inside abandoned F1 track that was £300m ‘spectacular flop’ with just four races held and rubbish left rotting in bins

    COSTING £300million and designed to bring Formula 1 to a whole new audience, this 120,000 capacity race track was not short on ambition.But after just four Grand Prix it was abandoned with rubbish left to rot in the bins and the whole thing declared a ‘spectacular flop’.
    South Korea tried to become a big part of Formula One back in 2010Credit: Getty
    They developed the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam, South JeollaCredit: Getty
    The track cost a whopping £300m to build and only held four F1 racesCredit: Getty
    The track was built in South Korea and made its debut 13 years ago.
    Back in 2010 the first ever Korean Grand Prix was held in Yeongam in the hopes of increasing the profile of F1 in Asia.
    1,000 acres of rice paddies were torn up to make way for a new 120,000 person capacity Formula One venue.
    But it was an unsuccessful venture with the track only hosting four F1 races and and the venue now left to rot.
    READ MORE ON F1
    The 3.5-mile circuit didn’t have any problems in it’s design and was entertaining with challenging corners and two straights for overtaking.
    But its location and the country’s lack of passion for the sport was its ultimate downfall.

    The Korean International Circuit was built over 200 miles from the capital of South Korea, Seoul, which made it tricky for fans to make the long journey.
    And not only that but there was also an unfamiliarity with the sport from Korean nationals.
    Most read in Motorsport
    The track was built miles from anything significant and it was difficult for fans to attendCredit: Getty
    In a bid to draw eyes to F1, K-Pop star Psy attended the Korean Grand PrixCredit: AFP
    FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
    In fact it’s reported that many didn’t even understand what F1 was and confused it as a branch of K-1, a mixed martial arts competition popular in Asia.
    And it was a pretty expensive mistake too with the track ultimately costing over £300million to build – effectively £75million per F1 race and that’s without running costs and annual fees.
    It wasn’t what was intended by any means and Park Bong-soon, former Formula One director of support for the venue admitted expectations weren’t met in an interview with the New York Times.
    He said: “We started with a big dream of making lots of money, instead we ended up with a spectacular flop.”
    The four Grand Prix’s held in South Korea between 2010 and 2013 were dominated by Sebastian Vettel.
    The German won three races whilst the 2010 event was captured by Fernando Alonso.
    But following the 2013 Grand Prix it all came to an end and after a few years of the track being used for smaller local racing it has now been left abandoned.
    There were problems during races too with the track used so little in between events that it was reported teams found rotting rubbish in the bins from the previous year’s Grand Prix.
    The track is no longer used with its last race taking place in 2013Credit: Getty
    The venue held over 120,000 peopleCredit: Getty
    Sebastian Vettel dominated the races that took place in South KoreaCredit: EPA More

  • in

    Red Bull advisor Halmut Marko slapped with written warning by FIA for xenophobic slur aimed at Sergio Perez

    RED BULL advisor Helmut Marko has been hit with a written warning by the FIA for his comments made towards Sergio Perez.The outspoken Austrian was quoted saying Perez, who is from Mexico, “is South American and he is just not as completely focused in his head as Max [Verstappen] is or as Sebastian [Vettel]”.
    Marko has apologised to PerezCredit: Getty
    The remarks about his own team’s driver caused a backlash on social media, especially in Mexico, which is in North America.
    Perez has already received an apology from Marko, 80, but now the FIA have issued their own warning.
    The FIA say that Marko received a “written warning and was reminded of his responsibilities as a public figure in motorsport in line with the FIA code of ethics.”
    Red Bull team principal Christian Horner addressed the issue ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix on Friday.
    Read More on F1
    He told Sky Sports: “Firstly those comments weren’t right and Helmut quickly realised that and apologised for that, both publicly and directly to Sergio.
    “He spoke directly to Sergio about it and you’re always learning in life, even at 80 years of age. Inevitably lessons have been learnt.
    “Checo is a massively popular member of our team, he’s an important member of our team.
    “I pushed very hard to sign him for the 2021 season, we have a huge following around the world and we take that very seriously and responsibly.
    Most read in Motorsport
    “The fan following, not just that Checo has but the team has and Formula 1 has, we’re very conscious of.
    “This is his 250th race, we want to focus on that.”
    Marko also took aim at Perez last summer when he joked that the 33-year-old was drunk on tequila after he blew his podium chances at the French Grand Prix. More