Perez claims bias and points to Russell crash: ‘If that happens at Red Bull...'

Red Bull driver Perez - who has faced major scrutiny over his performances in 2023 - feels his own crashes this year have been treated more harshly, and suggested it is partly due to his nationality. 

The Mexican highlighted Russell’s race-ending crash out of third place on the final lap in Singapore as an example of how his accidents have been treated differently. 

“We saw it with Russell,” Perez was quoted as saying by Spanish outlet Marca. “He crashed from third place on the last lap, but you don’t hear anyone talking about it.

“If something like that happens at Red Bull, you immediately have three hundred media channels on your roof telling you that you have to leave.

“This kind of thing happens often in Formula 1 and that’s how it works in a team environment. Also, I have the feeling that the fact that I am Mexican also has a big influence.”

Perez’s nationality has already made the headlines this season after Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko received an official warning from the FIA over comments he made. 

Marko issued an apology for attributing Perez’s inconsistent form this season to his ethnicity. 

Perez, who is 177 points behind championship leader and Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen, said he had accepted an apology from Marko in person.