Horner: Verstappen, Ricciardo clash was a racing incident

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has called the collision between Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo a racing incident but couldn't conceal his frustration.
Horner: Verstappen, Ricciardo clash was a racing incident

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has called the collision between Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo a racing incident but couldn't conceal his frustration at throwing away a strong race result.

Red Bull's Hungarian Grand Prix was thrown into jeopardy on the opening lap when Verstappen ran wide at turn two with team-mate Ricciardo on his outside which saw the pair clash and the Australian driver suffer a broken left suspension and radiator damage which instantly forced him to retire from the race.

To compound Horner's frustrations, Verstappen was slapped with a 10-second time penalty for the incident which saw the Dutch driver relegated to a fifth place finish when Red Bull had looked contenders for the podium in Hungary.

Horner has accepted Verstappen's apology to the team and Ricciardo while he dismissed any further action internally as the team looks to move on from the issue after the summer break.

"We have talked about racing incidents happening, I see that as a racing incident," Horner said. "Max made a mistake. He stuck his hand up, he has apologised to his team-mate. Daniel has accepted that apology. It happens.

"We have been lucky to have gone well over 12 months with them starting next to each other so often, without them having touched previously. So obviously there was no intention in it. It was just very frustrating."

The incident marks the first major flashpoint in the pair's team-mate relationship since Verstappen was promoted from Toro Rosso just over a year ago.

Ricciardo has confirmed the pair had a private one on one chat after the race and is keen to move on from the incident next time out at the Belgian Grand Prix.

 

 

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