Marko critical of Perez following clash with Russell

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Helmut Marko was critical of Sergio Perez's overtake attempt on George Russell at Spielberg's Turn 4 on the opening lap of the Austrian Grand Prix that resulted in a contact between the two drivers.

Perez had caught up with Russell on the run down to the tight right-hand corner and proceeded to run on the outside of the Mercedes driver, but as the Red Bull driver slipped ahead, Russell's front-left wheel pitched Perez into a spin.

Russell was ultimately held accountable for the run-in by the stewards and handed a five-second penalty as well as two penalty points on his superlicence.

But that was no consolation for Perez whose off-track excursion damaged the floor of his RB18 and forced his team to retire its car.

Read also: Perez and Russell at odds over first lap clash in Austria

"I was clearly ahead," Perez fumed after parking the RB18 in the garage. "It was up to George to really control his car which he clearly couldn’t and we ended up making contact.

"There was nothing else I could have done," he concluded. But Marko was unimpressed.

"We said before the start, do not go around the outside in that corner," Marko told Sky Sport Germany. “That is not possible.

"This was just unnecessary. We’ve seen it before. It doesn’t work.

"After that, there was a lot of damage to the floor. He might have finished two laps behind, so it didn’t make sense [to continue]. It was better to save the mileage."

The incident wasn't the first time Perez paid a price for battling a rival at Spielberg's Turn 4, having found himself in the gravel in last year's race while fighting with McLaren's Lando Norris.

But the move was also a carbon copy of a tussle between Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Alex Albon in 2020.

"I don’t think Mercedes like it when our cars go around the outside in Turn 4," noted Marko. "It was a shame, because you saw that Checo was ahead.

"It’s almost a perfect imitation of the incident with Lewis and Albon a few years ago. It’s a shame we didn’t get more space there."

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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.