Horner: Albon 'had the job done' - Hamilton at fault

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Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says Alex Albon "had the job done" when Lewis Hamilton pitched his driver into a spin in the Austrian Grand Prix.

Albon clashed with the Mercedes driver in the closing stages of the opening round of the 2020 F1 season.

With 20 laps to go, the Red Bull driver attacked the six-time world champion as the two barreled in Spielberg's Turn 4, positioning himself on the outside of the uphill corner.

Albon had a slight edge but was hit by Hamilton on the exit, the Red Bull RB16 spinning into the gravel trap while the Mercedes continued on its way.

Albon: Hamilton clash ruined chance of race win

Hamilton was given a 5-second penalty by the stewards but Albon was forced to retire. Asked if his driver should have thought twice before undertaking his maneuver, Horner suggested that Hamilton is the one who should have changed his approach.

"Alex didn't have the straight-line speed, so he knew he had, with the grip advantage, to pass him in or out of a corner," Horner said.

"As far as he was concerned, the job was done. He was starting to look down the road towards Valtteri [Bottas] when Lewis put a wheel on the inside.

"So I think it is more perhaps Lewis that the questions should be asked on what he would do differently."

Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko offered an even more harsh take on the incident. The Austrian believes stewards should have punished Hamilton more severely, insisting the latter paid a small price for such an "obvious" mistake.

"If someone is so obviously guilty and then only gets a time penalty of five seconds and thereby remains in the points, then that’s simply not fair," Marko told Austrian broadcaster ORF.

"In relation to what he does to what he loses, in the end these were only a few places.

"We had a similar situation in Brazil in 2019. It was also about second place. And Hamilton also gave Alex a ramming blow back then.

"Whether he finishes second or fourth, what’s the big difference? But our race, he completely ruined it.

"I think it’s time to rethink this whole system!"

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.