Red Bull has decided to suspend the license of one of its team members after footage emerged of the driver using a racist slur.
The source of the leak is believed to be Twitch, where 21-year-old junior racer Juri Vips reportedly used a racist slang.
It sent social media into a tizzy as people were left shocked to see the language used by the youngster.
Red Bull swiftly released a statement confirming Vips will be suspended till investigation takes place.
“Red Bull Racing has suspended junior driver Juri Vips from all team duties with immediate effect, pending a full investigation into the incident,” the statement began.
“As an organisation we condemn abuse of any kind and have a zero-tolerance policy to racist language or behaviour within our organisation.
A lot has been made out of Vips’ potential and he has been part of the Red Bull family since 2018.
He even drove for Red Bull during the Spanish Grand Prix and has represented the team in two trials in Abu Dhabi.
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) June 21, 2022
Is Vips actually racist?
One would expect a sportsperson to be more mindful of the language they use and Vips knew he had made a mistake.
He was quick to apologise for his choice of words, claiming that it did “not portray the values and principles that I hold”.
He released a statement almost immediately after the Red Bull suspension.
“I wish to unreservedly apologise for the offensive language used during a live gaming stream earlier today,” the statement read.
“This language is entirely unacceptable and does not portray the values and principles that I hold. I deeply regret my actions and this is not the example I wish to set.
“I will cooperate with the investigation fully. Juri.”
Vips has spent the last three seasons in Formula 2 and will participate in the British Grand Prix for Hitech. As of now, Hitech has not released any statement on the matter, but it is likely that they will soon make an announcement once the investigation is complete.
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