Shocking Red Bull team-mates' collision triggers relationship implosion

On this day 16 years ago, the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix saw a dramatic collision between both Red Bull cars.

It remains one of Formula 1's most infamous moments of team self-destruction. On lap 40 of the Turkish GP, Red Bull were cruising to a commanding one-two finish. By lap 41, its race was in ruins.

Sebastian Vettel, running second behind Mark Webber, had been given a higher engine mode while Webber was told to turn his down to save fuel. 

That disparity in straight-line speed gave Vettel the run he needed out of Turn 11 and into the slipstream on the back straight towards Turn 12.

Vettel moved left to the inside. He drew alongside. Then, as they approached the braking zone, he edged right towards the racing line before fully clearing Webber. 

Their wheels touched at enormous speed, sending Vettel spinning into retirement and leaving Webber with front-wing damage. 

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button swept past to claim a McLaren one-two that had been handed to them on a silver platter.

Webber recovered to third but was left seething.

"Sebastian had a bit of a top speed advantage, he went down the inside and we were side by side," Webber said afterwards. "I was surprised when he came right suddenly, as I was holding my racing line."

Vettel, characteristically, saw it differently. "I was there, I was ahead and focusing on the braking point and then we touched," he insisted. "Mark's car hit my rear right wheel and I went off, there's not much more to say."

Marko blames Webber

What made Turkey truly toxic was the reaction inside the Red Bull garage. Helmut Marko wasted no time siding with Vettel, arguing that Webber "knew that he was slower, so he should have let him past." 

Christian Horner initially suggested Webber had not left enough space, before later softening to call it "a racing accident that shouldn't have happened between two teammates."

Webber knew the politics at play. He would later remark that the pair would "probably have a difference of opinion until we go to our graves." 

He was not wrong. Istanbul did not just cost Red Bull a victory. It exposed a fracture that never truly healed.