Jun.24 - British-Pakistani racing driver Enaam Ahmed has leapt to the defence of suspended Red Bull junior Juri Vips.

Estonian Vips, 21, was the Red Bull junior who was arguably closest to getting the call-up to the Formula 1 grid and a frontrunner in Formula 2.

This week, the energy drink company revealed that it has suspended Vips "from all team duties with immediate effect" while it investigates an incident that occurred during a live stream on Twitch.

He is said to have casually used the 'n-word' while playing Call of Duty, and later joked that he didn't want to wear a pink hat because "it's gay".

"As an organisation we condemn abuse of any kind and have a zero-tolerance policy to racist language or behaviour within our organisation," Red Bull said.

Vips later apologised for his "unacceptable" language on social media, and his Formula 2 team boss, Hitech owner Oliver Oakes, said he was "shocked and appalled".

"The comments made by Juri are offensive and completely not reflective of Hitech's inclusive values," Oakes said.

But Enaam Ahmed, a British-born Pakistani with dual nationality who currently races in the Indy Pro 2000 championship, says he knows Vips well and denies that he is racist.

"What Juri said was wrong," Ahmed, 22, said. "But going from my personal experience, he has never been racist to me ever.

"I have been called a terrorist and a suicide bomber my entire life, my country and religion has a lot of racial stereotypes. But in the years I've known Juri, he's one of the few that hasn't ever made a joke about it to me.

"I know what racism means and he is not. That's all I will say."


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52 F1 Fan comments on “Racing driver says suspended Juri Vips not racist

    • Donalf

      Spreading like a wild fite is it all stemming from f1. Fia & team bosses should crack down hard on f1, f2 f3 drivers before it all gets out of hand. Drivers should stick to driving and stay out of political traps.. There all said.

      Reply
  1. CanadianEh

    What's lost in all the righteous noise is the simple fact that EVERYONE at one time or another has said and done things considered 'racist'. To be truly "racist" requires an enduring pattern of behavior that demonstrates a consistent and enduring set of facts to support the claim. I suspect Mr. Vips does not meet those criteria

    The left-wing narrative of inclusivity and tolerance is seen to be vapid and hollow whenever any notable person (like Mr. Vips) utters words to the contrary - the left's intolerance, violence and exclusivity is jaw-dropping.

    Lets do a deep-dive into Mr. Oates history, and see where he hasn't met his own cruel standard. He and his ilk are hypocrite's, and we all know it.

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  2. Nick Parker

    This is a case of the Woke police gone mad. Trying to control what people think and say reminds me of pure Nazism and it must be stamped out. Reinstate Mr Vips immediately.

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  3. The Spy

    "EVERYONE at one time or another has said and done things considered 'racist'.
    If he hasn’t learnt after the last 3-4 years of BLM campaign’s that racist comments are no longer acceptable then, he obviously is not very intelligent.

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    • Nick Paraker

      Why should a tiny minority of the population who make up the Maoist group describing themselves as BLM dictate what the rest of us think and say? This yet another example of the cancel culture the snowflake generation have dreamed up.

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  4. ReallyOldRacer

    Words matter. Simple as that. Young people, though not exclusively, have a tough time with that concept. Learn the lesson, make amends and if you have the talent you will be back. Same thing happened to a kid in BASHCAR. He learned the lesson and now he is a front runner with the best team in the show.

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  5. Yrjo E Veltheim

    Wokeness gone mad! I'm 78 and recall clearly playing with my black friends and all of us letting The word "negro" and "honky" fly around without a second thought. Sometimes the words degenerated into something worse but that didn't keep us from remaining friends minutes later. If an off-colour word or two in the heat of the moment has the power to endanger a young person's chosen career, then we have gone too far. Juri should be out on the track doing what he loves and an apology should suffice.

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  6. Susan

    I know freedom speech is an overused word. Free for some not so free for others. If Mr. Vips has a history of racist comments that’s one thing, I agree with his suspension, a teachachable moment. If this was a slip of the tongue in the moment, something else again. The youth of today really is short on history and sensitivity, unless it comes to them. A stern conversation should be adequate. Come on. Leave wokeness at the door. It is becoming tiresome.

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  7. Susan

    BLM should not be used a sthe standard for anything. They are thugs. In the USA, no one seems to care about children lives when gunned down in the black community, not even a peep. Or the gang shootings every weekend in Chicago, crickets. They have a political agenda and lives, any lives are not part of their agenda. Sorry if I offend anyone, sometimes the truth hurts.

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  8. smokey

    A world has been created where individuals cannot use simple expressions that have been acceptable in the past because they may offend someone! It's a sad world we live in lately! Words used in frustration on the spur of the moment have the ability to crucify you.
    Kyle Larson is a good example ~ he was handed a 12 month suspension from NASCAR for using the "n" word during a computer simulation! Banned by his sponsors and crucified for showing his frustration. But he is a driver with great ability.
    He came back and won the next year's NASCAR title, and has become one of the winningest drivers even in American speedway history! Now sponsors all want to get on his band wagon.
    Maybe the same will happen with Vips.

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  9. Nononsense

    What a nonsense, this young man is called a racist because he uses a word like: g... or n.... ??? This is a so stupid overreacting punishment of RedBull , I could not believe they want to be like that.

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  10. Rick

    political correctness or whatever you call it gone made keep all your political ranting out of F1 & get on with racing Oh sorry have I offended someone the world has gone mad!

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  11. Susan

    Lewis Hamilton involves himself needlessly. Most of the world has no idea who he is, the ones who have are getting sick and tired if his cause dujour. Stay out of American politics, you’re neither wanted or interested in opinions.
    My only thought, maybe his mom should have given it some thought

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      • Susan

        LH is now involving himself with the US Supreme Court's ruling on abortion. He’ll be taking another knee apparently to show solidarity with the pro-choice advocates.

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        • CanaadianEh

          Dame Lucille, atop his white marble Doric column (Italian, thank you!), pronouncing doom on SCOTUS overturning Roe vs Wade, while his cape flutters in the gentle breeze of his windy argument.

          There was a time, early on, when he had a molecule of humility.

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  12. Doug

    In the mid 90's I did a driver clinic at Skip Barber Road America. I was fortunate to have Vic Elford as one of my instructors. We were sitting around having lunch and somehow the conversation came around to Vic talking about his dog (a black lab) when he was growing up. His dog was named ni er and we all talked about how times and pc attitudes had changed since then. That was 30 years ago, now we are in hyper sensitve mode. I have been called (to my face) cracker, whitey, peckerwood, roundeye and bubba. I have lived all over the USA as well as the UK, as an old "white guy" I am used to being the villian.

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    • John B

      You missed out Casper the friendly ghost

      I hail from Scotland and have been called quite a number of derogatory names and have dealt with them in my own way without starting a campaign of SLM and lifting my kilt in protest

      The world 🌎 should grow up and deal with their own causes the way they feel fit

      We don't need an arse like Hamilton keeping the racist ball rolling. Shut your mouth and give us all a break

      Reply
  13. Susan

    Until people step forward and says enough, this will continue. LH drives a car, that it is all he does, given gobs of money. Great! His opinions are just that…his opinions. He is not any smarter than anyone else. Drive the car and shut up. In a year or two, he’ll be gone. He is becoming insufferable and narcissistic. He’s ruining the sport with whining and complaining.
    .

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  14. who_cares

    ffs people are snowflakes these days

    sticks and stones and all that but it is what it is - an orwellian future coming to a store near you

    as i predicted heir tosts 'sissies' remark has received no press

    just like vips's would've been if he was a faster driver

    Reply
    • CanadianEh

      Hmmm, I wonder what would have happened had Dame Lucille uttered the N-Word?

      As we all know, sweet-fu_k-all.

      Have you ever watched black comedians, like Dave Chappel, or Chris Stone? They use the N-Word ALL the time. White comedians? Rarely, if ever. So there is a double-standard.

      What fills my body with rage are fetid people like Oates who righteously virtue-signal. When, in reality, he's likely the worst offender.

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      • who_cares

        it amazes me there is a word out there that causes so much controversy that it must be referred to as the n-word

        hurt feelings from name calling is for children

        chris rock said it best before he totally sold out

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        • Donalf

          Racism, sorry to say it but I don't think it will ever go away its been with us for yonks but I do honestly think that the more publicity it gets will make it worse BLM matters we all know that and majority of people under stand and respect. The more publicity it gets "racism" the more likely it will show its ugly head.

          Reply
          • shroppyfly

            Im old enough, but obviously still incredibly good looking..... to remember English football games in the Seventies, when there was already a few talented black players in top teams, anyway, if the black person scored a goal there fans, would and did hail him/them as a Hero and would treat them as early superstars of the game, where as the other teams fans, , whether they'd a black player in there tam or not , would throw bananas and make monkey noises at the other black guy even if what he'd done was messi or ronaldo like, I thought Then, People are Stupid..and they are still Stupid now but DonA , i think your spot on

        • Donalf

          Nelson Piquet made these comments in a figure of speech 6 or 12 months ago and it should not have been printed, it should have been thrown out there and and no one would be the wiser and everyone would be looking forward to ss this weekend but, someone decided to stir the shit and it has. Nelson P always outspoken example, called Mansel uneducated blockhead:said his wife was ugly;called Ayrton senna gay and enso ferrari "senile;so he just can't help it.

          Reply
          • smokey

            Aaahhhh ...... yes, but you need to consider the context in which Piquet made those comments, which were a long time ago. Back then, before the English language was hijacked by the transsexual community, being gay meant to be happy ~ and Ayrton was very happy when he gave payback to Alain! Enzo could well have been considered to be senile with some of his decisions when he was in his 80's, just like Bernie is considered senile now!
            Not that this has much to do with Juri Vips!

          • Donalf

            Yupp, absolutely right smoke these things happen all the time did he mean it the way it came over apparently that p word is used a lot in Brazil and he is Brazilian and sometimes it just pops out with out thinking just like Juri Vips and now poor little lads got the sack just as his career is taking off. Harsh I'm sure he's sorry for it.

  15. John B

    You missed out Casper the friendly ghost

    I hail from Scotland and have been called quite a number of derogatory names and have dealt with them in my own way without starting a campaign of SLM and lifting my kilt in protest

    The world 🌎 should grow up and deal with their own causes the way they feel fit

    We don't need an arse like Hamilton keeping the racist ball rolling. Shut your mouth and give us all a break

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    • smokey

      John, we all know you are a Scot. We can tell from your aggressive terrier like attitude! I know because I am also from Scottish heritage ~ and very proud of it!
      I agree with your views on Lois Hamilton. She should stick to what she does best, just drive the cars, and keep away from politics. He only further tarnishes his name with all his ravings and pantomime antics.

      Reply
      • John B

        Thanks for your post

        The world has gone crazy when we can't express our feelings without being castigated by small minded people who appear to be scared to voice their true feelings for fear 😨 of being ostracized

        The two women who began the blm movement were felons and used donations to buy a 6 million dollar headquarters and lived there under the guise of calling it a training center

        They no longer live there

        Reply
  16. shroppyfly

    Ill translate for John OK in English the word Arse translates to Git or Prat in English sorry John, or Jock couldnt help myself lol

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    • John B

      Thank you for your almost accurate translation Shrip

      I think you need more instruction on the language of God's country

      Arse means bumhole

      Reply
        • John B

          Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit

          Bumholes are anything but clever and post stupid comments

          If the cap fits wear it

          You would not last 5 minutes in Scotland

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          • ReallyOldRacer

            John, not my fight, but being a sarcastic bumhole I feel obligated to ask why anyone would WANT to spend 5 minutes in Scotland.

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          • John B

            If we knew you were coming we would have a welcoming waiting ✋ to greet you

            Scotland is the most 💙 beautiful and interesting place in the world

            It's history goes back thousands of years and has never been cowed for long by any invaders

            Open your eyes old timer and expand your narrow mind

          • ReallyOldRacer

            I was raggin' you, John. No neggies re Scotland.....honest. After all, you gave us Clark, Stewart and scotch whiskey.

  17. John B

    The Jim Clark museum is a great homage a fantastic talent

    Taken to soon

    I met Sir Jackie at a Commonwealth clay event in Dundee

    He was an Olympic gold medal winner shooting for Scotland albeit dyslexic

    He has no airs and graces and it was a privilege to shake his hand

    Whiskey is from Ireland and whisky is purely Scottish

    Just saying sasenach

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  18. shroppyfly

    So , somethings been nagging me this morning and I don't mean the wife (again), John B last post , for a proud Scotsman to talk complete B**lox is rare, or perhaps it isn't?, as Sir Jackie never won an Olympic gold, he didn't even compete in any Olympics, so the only thing i can think of is , John B is a complete numpty.. .

    Reply
    • John B

      I stand corrected

      I had read many articles about Sir Jackie with some reference to the Olympics

      I got the true story from the man himself at the Commonwealth games

      After winning many shooting competitions worldwide He was included in the 1960 Rome squad

      He missed out on a place in the games by missing 1 target out of 1000

      He undoubtedly had the talent to complete

      We as a race are not afraid to admit mistakes

      Hope that helps your trap shut for a while

      I read your posts and conclude that your opinions are truly worth ignoring

      Sounds like you need guidance

      Reply
  19. John B

    Have you never made any errors

    People like you should have a reality check and if you feel you do not fall into that category then you should check your truth meter

    Did I hear your 😇 slipping

    Reply

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