What did Juri Vips say? Red Bull F2 driver apologises for alleged racist slur as he is handed suspension
ESTONIAN F2 driver Juri Vips has been handed a suspension by Red Bull for the alleged use of racist language on Twitch.
The 21-year-old is believed to have used the N-word while playing Call of Duty online with team-mate Liam Lawson.
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What did Juri Vips say?
After being shot on Call of Duty, Juri Vips was alleged to have said: “Oh my God, f*** this n*****.”
In another incident on the same stream, Vips was handed a pink Red Bull hat which he refused to put on.
When asked why he wouldn’t wear it, he was heard saying: “Because it’s gay.”
Juri Vips has since apologised, saying: “I wish to unreservedly apologise for the offensive language used during a live gaming stream earlier today.
“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.”
What have Red Bull said?
A Red Bull statement read: “Red Bull Racing has suspended junior driver Juri Vips from all team duties with immediate effect, pending a full investigation into the incident.
“As an organisation, we condemn abuse of any kind and have a zero-tolerance policy to racist language and behaviours within our organisation.”
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Will Juri Vips continue racing?
While Vips has been suspended from the Red Bull junior team, the HiTech Grand Prix team he races for in F2 has yet to communicate a decision on whether he will be allowed to race at the upcoming British Grand Prix.
However, HiTech owner Oliver Oakes did say: “I was shocked and appalled to hear about this incident.
“The comments made by Juri are offensive and completely not reflective of Hitech’s inclusive values.
“Like everyone else, I found out about this an hour ago – the video and Redbull’s suspension with an investigation to follow.”