Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko has insisted there will be no team orders aimed at Max Verstappen to help teammate Sergio Perez secure second in the F1 Drivers' standings.
Verstappen wrapped up his third consecutive title at the Qatar Grand Prix with second in the Sprint and victory in the main race - his 14th success in 17 races.
But Perez's on-track struggles continued as a crash in the Sprint - though he was the innocent party as Haas' Nico Hulkenberg and Alpine's Esteban Ocon tangled - left extensive damage to his Red Bull and repairs under parc fermé conditions left him with a pit-lane start.
This was only after he had failed to reach Q3 in qualifying, however, whilst numerous errors in the race led to multiple penalties for track limit violations.
Perez would finish 10th and pick up a single point, missing a gilt-edged chance to stretch his advantage over third-placed Lewis Hamilton after the Mercedes driver crashed out of the race at the first corner.
Red Bull has never finished one-two in the Drivers' standings and asked whether the team would employ team orders, Marko told ORF: "We are not going to give team orders - we've seen how that turned out with Max before."
What is Marko referencing?
After Max Verstappen secured his second championship early last year, focus switched to ensuring Perez could hold off Ferrari's Charles Leclerc for second in the standings.
With the Dutchman ahead of his teammate by one position in the closing stages of the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos, Red Bull asked him to move aside to allow Perez to pick up extra points.
But Verstappen refused with the tension believed to have been initiated at the Monaco Grand Prix, Perez alleged to have crashed deliberately in qualifying - denying his teammate pole position.
The air was cleared before the current season but, as Marko has alluded to, there will be no assistance from Red Bull should the duo's on-track position allow.
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