---
title: "Red Bull Junior Driver Suspended for Using Racial Slur on Twitch Stream"
date: "2022-06-22"
modified: "2022-06-22"
authors:
  - name: "Jerry Perez"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/red-bull-junior-driver-suspended-for-using-racial-slur-on-twitch-stream"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "News"
  - "Racing"
  - "Video Games"
---

# Red Bull Junior Driver Suspended for Using Racial Slur on Twitch Stream

![juri vips](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/22/GettyImages-1402127802.jpg>)
*\<em\>Joe Portlock - Formula 1\</em\>*

Red Bull Racing junior driver Juri Vips has been suspended from all team duties after a video of him [using a racial slur](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/32995/nascar-driver-kyle-larson-uses-n-word-on-iracing-pro-series-livestream>) in a video game stream surfaced Tuesday. The Estonian has served as a [Red Bull and AlphaTauri Formula 1](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/44845/red-bull-kicks-off-2022-f1-season-by-choking-at-the-bahrain-grand-prix>) reserve driver since 2020 and most recently drove the Red Bull F1 car during the Spanish Grand Prix Friday practice earlier this year.

"Red Bull Racing has suspended junior driver Juri Vips from all team duties with immediate effect, pending a full investigation into the incident," Red Bull announced Tuesday. “As an organisation we condemn abuse of any kind and have a zero-tolerance policy to racist language or behaviour within our organisation.”

The video, which surfaced on Twitter, shows Vips [playing an RPG shooter game with other people when he suddenly refers to one of the other players as the N-word.](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/32995/nascar-driver-kyle-larson-uses-n-word-on-iracing-pro-series-livestream>)

![juri vips](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/22/GettyImages-1399416395.jpg>)
*Joe Portlock - Formula 1*

Following the announcement of Red Bull's suspension, Vips took to his [Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/p/CfFCLlVMxpc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link>) account to issue a statement.

"I want to unreservedly apologize for the offensive language used during a live gaming stream earlier today," said Vips on social media. "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."

Besides his commitments to Red Bull, the 21-year-old is a full-time racing driver in the F2 series with the British Hitech Grand Prix team, where he currently seats seventh in the championship. Team boss and founder Oliver Oakes told *[Autosport](<https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/red-bull-junior-vips-suspended-by-team-for-using-racial-slur/10326450/>)* he was “shocked and appalled to hear about this incident,” though he didn't elaborate if Vips would fulfill his driver duties for the team at Silverstone next weekend.

*Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com*

## Author
Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/drive_jerry/>)