Formula 1: Christian Horner open’s up on no fighting radio message in Azerbaijan GP: Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner has told that the radio message given to Sergio Perez of ‘No fighting’ during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was not particularly team orders. As per Horner, the decision was taken as Verstappen was significantly faster than Checo and there was no biased reasoning behind that. Follow F1 Canadian GP LIVE Updates with InsideSport.IN.
Horner insisted that before the start of the race in Baku, Red Bull told the drivers that they will not use team orders and they have to collectively beat Ferrari. Furthermore, then came the orders of ‘No fighting’, which sparked theories of Red Bull’s favouritism towards Verstappen.
Formula 1: Red Bull boss Christian Horner opens up on ‘NO FIGHTING’ radio message in Azerbaijan GP, denies BIAS by saying ‘Max had pace advantage over Checo’
However, Horner explained the situation by saying “I think today wasn’t strictly team orders. It was just a question of you’ve got a faster car and a slower car and Max had a significant pace advantage on Checo at that point, and Checo had quite heavy graining on his tyres.”
“So it was a question of ‘guys, let’s not put each other against the pit wall here if one car is quicker, concede and let’s focus on getting the best result for the team’,” Horner added.
Red Bull involved team orders as soon as round six of this season when they requested Perez to move over for Verstappen at the Spanish Grand Prix, giving the dominant World Champion the race lead and the win in Spain.
Formula 1: Red Bull boss Christian Horner opens up on ‘NO FIGHTING’ radio message in Azerbaijan GP, denies BIAS by saying ‘Max had pace advantage over Checo’
Yet, while Perez referred to it as ‘unjustifiable’, Red Bull demanded the call depended on strategy, and, one race later when Perez won in Monaco, they were both in the ‘blend’ for the World title.
Perez was leading the race in the wake of surpassing Charles Leclerc toward the beginning. However, it was Verstappen who had the better speed, provoking Red Bull to tell the Mexican driver ‘no battling’ as his colleague utilized DRS to fly by.
Another dou-Bull podium for the Team 🏆🏆 #AzerbaijanGP pic.twitter.com/FmBkVinPYr
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) June 13, 2022
Meanwhile, things are going pretty well for Red Bull as they secured a 1-2 finish in Baku as Max Verstappen extended his lead in the front in the drivers’ standings. Moreover, Perez leapfrogged Leclerc and took the second spot in the drivers’ standings. Red Bull now enjoys an 80-point lead over Ferrari in the constructors’ standings after both the Ferrari drivers retired from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Up to P2 in the Drivers’ Championship 🏆 @SChecoPerez 👏 #AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 pic.twitter.com/YTmCLoXn56
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) June 12, 2022
Formula 1: Red Bull boss Christian Horner opens up on ‘NO FIGHTING’ radio message in Azerbaijan GP, denies BIAS by saying ‘Max had pace advantage over Checo’
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