Christian Horner insists there was not any team order in the Singapore Grand Prix duel involving Daniil Kvyat and Max Verstappen, who replaced the Russian at Red Bull earlier this season.
After a slump in performance that seemed “never-ending” to him, Kvyat enjoyed one of his better weekends since being demoted back to Toro Rosso ahead of this year’s Spanish GP.
Having jumped the slow-starting Verstappen on the opening lap, Kvyat found himself having to defend from the Dutchman later in the race. The 22-year-old was reminded over team radio that he was racing McLaren-Honda’s Fernando Alonso but he refused to yield and Verstappen eventually had to back off to save his tyres.
Asked whether the reference to Alonso was a coded message for team orders, Horner replied: “No they were racing each other. The points for Toro Rosso are just as valuable for us and I doubt Kvyat would have listened too much anyway.”
“I thought it was good racing between the two guys. They are fighting for points for their battle in the Constructors’ championship. Danny drove firmly but fairly so I didn’t have any issue with it.”
Kvyat was eventually forced to let Verstappen through but that only came after the former exceeded track limits in overtaking Sergio Perez.
The Russian thus had to give the place back to the Force India driver but he ended up losing another position to the Red Bull man, who had sneaked past Perez in the mean time.
Verstappen eventually crossed the line in sixth, with Kvyat making it to the points for the first since Silverstone in ninth.
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