Verstappen: It’s very simple, Ricciardo’s turn to go in front

Max Verstappen has hit back at Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo after he called the squad’s Q3 tactics unfair by explaining it was previously agreed each driver would take turns per round to give the other a tow in qualifying.

The Dutch driver endured a hairy moment with Ricciardo when the Australian looked to force his teammate to overtake him during one of their pole position runs in order to benefit from a slipstream.

Verstappen has retorted to Ricciardo’s claims the tactics were unfair on him by saying it is agreed by the team before the start of every qualifying and the pair have been alternating between who provides the slipstream at each round.

“We always agree before the weekend so he was going in front as I was going in front at Paul Ricard,” Verstappen said. “He was going in front the race before so we discussed that. This was his weekend to go in front, that is how it is. It is very simple.

“Every run at Paul Ricard I was in the front so we have to do the same here. We have to do the best qualifying possible and of course to try and take advantage from that.

“But if they say you have to drive in front for the whole qualifying that’s what you have to do. That’s what I did at Paul Ricard. Of course it was Daniel’s turn here.”

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says there is “nothing to explain” after the flashpoint and has backed up Verstappen’s explanation.

“The drivers know explicitly every weekend it alternates,” Horner said. “Last weekend, Max drove out first, Daniel would have followed him.

“Next weekend it will be the otherway around.

“Even in the debrief, from weekend to weekend, there it's who talks first. It's the way to keep it as scrupulously fair as we can. They know the situation. There's nothing to explain.”