Our job is to obey team orders: Ricciardo

Australian Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo feels it's his responsibility to obey team orders, unless it's completely out of order.

Australia's Daniel Ricciardo believes it's the responsibility of Formula One drivers to respect and obey team orders, whether they like it or not.

The 24-year-old's Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel sparked debate at last month's Chinese Grand Prix after he replied "tough luck" when told to let a faster Ricciardo pass him.

The four-time world champion eventually relented, later claiming he did not understand the initial request.

It was the second time in as many races Vettel had been forced to move aside for his junior teammate in their first season together.

Ricciardo said such situations were openly talked about at pre-race meetings and the message was clear about accepting team orders.

"We throw up different scenarios and discuss it, discuss it between drivers and between principals and engineers," he told The West Australian newspaper ahead of Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix.

"It is our responsibility to obey it, unless it's completely out of order and then we can obviously try and put up a fight and give our reasons.

"But the team are doing all the calculations on pit wall during the race and you have to respect what they're saying.

"It's not always nice if you are being told to move over. It's not nice being that slower car, it's frustrating."

Ricciardo has outqualified Vettel in three of the opening four grands prix, but sits nine points adrift on the championship standings in sixth.

"We know it ourselves and even told each other that we want to race hard," he said.

"I want to race the best version of Seb and he wants to race the best version of me. At the end of the day I think we'll both respect whoever's done a better job.

"Deep, deep down none of us like losing. If Seb's done a better job this year, I won't like it, but I'll definitely respect him for it and give him the credit he deserves.

"I think that's a two-way street. We understand what a fair fight is and we enjoy that."


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Source: AAP


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