Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko has clarified a mocking comment he made after last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix that alluded to the Aston Martin team.
The Silverstone-based outfit's AMR23, which delivered a podium finish to the team and to Fernando Alonso in Bahrain, follows a design philosophy very similar to Red Bull.
And similarities between the two machines is perhaps no coincidence since the man in charge of engineering Aston's concept is none other than former Red Bull chief aerodynamicist Dan Fallows.
After the Milton Keynes-based outfit's dominant win at Sakhir, Marko cheekily remarked that there were "three Red Bull's on the podium", a comment also picked up by Sergio Perez in the drivers' FIA press conference after the race.
Speaking to Sky Sport, Marko alluded to Fallows' move from Red bull to Aston Martin.
"Not only did he make the switch, but also a number of other employees," said the Austrian. "Obviously they have a good memory.
"We had three Red Bulls on the podium, only the third had a different engine!"
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Marko's comment could have been construed as a veiled accusation suggesting that Fallows had perhaps relied on intellectual property from Red Bull to design Aston's challenger.
But in an interview with Motorsport-Total, the Red Bull chief reined in his innuendo, insisting his remark was just"a joke" and not an accusation of any sort towards Red Bull.
"No, by no means, and that shouldn't be an accusation either," he said when asked if Red Bull will protest Aston Martin's car.
"These are just joking remarks. If you look at the field, the Aston Martin is the car that is most similar to the Red Bull."
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