Marko warns ‘next’ crash will lead to team orders

Editor

Helmut Marko has made it abundantly clear to the Red Bull drivers that the next time they crash, there will be team orders.

Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen threw away a double points-haul in Baku when their battle ended in a crash.

The team-mates traded blows throughout the grand prix, it was a close but fair.

That, though, ended on lap 40 when Ricciardo went to overtake Verstappen, the Dutchman made a double move, and Ricciardo rear ended him.

The team has stated that the drivers remain free to race, but Red Bull advisor Marko says they are on a last warning.

He told Sport Bild: “At the next collision, we will have to do a team order, although we are actually against it.”

This is not the first time that Red Bull have dealt with feuding team-mates with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber clashing back in 2010.

“At that time we got that under control,” Marko said.

But while the Baku stewards felt that both Ricciardo and Verstappen were to blame for Sunday’s collision, many, including Niki Lauda, feel the blame belongs more to Verstappen.

Marko, though, says Red Bull knew what they were getting into by signing the youngster.

“We got Max for his speed and aggression. Then you have to live with the fact that sometimes sparks fly.”