Formula 2: Red Bull suspends Youri Vips from racing

On Tuesday evening, Red Bull’s press office issued a statement as follows: “Red Bull Racing is suspending Youri Vips, a member of the youth program, from racing while a detailed investigation into the incident is underway.

Our organization condemns any form of insult and has a zero-tolerance policy for this type of racist expression or behavior.”

What happened and what incident are we talking about?

Videos have appeared on social networks in which an Estonian racer, while playing the online game Call of Duty, makes statements that could be interpreted as racist. Curiously, among those taking part in the game with Vips at the time was his Formula 2 rival and also a member of the Red Bull youth program, Liam Lawson. The New Zealander publicly expressed his surprise at Wips for his words.

Yuri almost immediately apologized for his intemperance, also taking to social media: “I would like to sincerely apologize for the offensive comments made during the live broadcast of the game today.

Such statements are absolutely unacceptable and do not reflect my values ​​and principles. I deeply regret my actions, this is not the example I would like to set. I will fully cooperate with the investigation.”

Jüri Vips was admitted to the Red Bull youth program in 2018, has been racing in F2 since 2020, has driven a Red Bull Racing Formula 1 car for testing in 2020 and 2021 and had his first training session this season on the Friday before May Spanish Grand Prix.

After six stages of the youth championship, Estonian rider Hitech Grand Prix is ​​7th in the individual standings, he has no wins, but he has already taken the podium three times and in less than two weeks he had to start at Silverstone.

Hitech GP has not yet responded to all of these events.