Story highlights
- Red Bull drivers ordered to team factory to apologize
- Duo crashed out of Sunday's Azerbaijan GP
- Team boss Christian Horner labels situation "unacceptable"
(CNN)Enough is enough for the boss of Red Bull's Formula One team.
Having witnessed at least one of his drivers crash at all four Grand Prix events this season, Christian Horner has declared the situation "unacceptable" and ordered them to apologize to the team.
Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo collided on lap 40 of Sunday's Azerbaijan GP, putting both drivers out of the race.
It was the second occasion neither managed to finish in 2018 -- following the double retirement in Bahrain -- and means Red Bull is already more than 60 points adrift in the constructors' championship.
"They are both to blame for this, and it's the team that unfortunately lost out," said Horner, adding the drivers were very much "in the doghouse."
The duo expressed regret for their role in the latest collision, but will be forced to address the entire team in its Milton Keynes base prior to the next race in Barcelona.
"They have got to show the team and each other respect and give each other space," said Horner. "They've been reminded that they have a responsibility in the role they perform, that they are both highly paid individuals, to act with the team's interests at heart, not just their own."
Photos: Story of the F1 season
Lewis Hamilton sprays second-placed Sebastian Vettel with champagne after winning the Abu Dhabi season-ending race, 11th of his title winning season.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Lewis Hamilton celebrates his 10th win of the season as he takes the Brazilian GP ahead of Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Lewis Hamilton savors the moment after clinching his fifth F1 world title with fourth place behind Max Verstappen in the Mexican Grand Prix.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Race winner Kimi Raikkonen is flanked by second-placed Max Verstappen (far left) and Lewis Hamilton, who finished third after a thrilling US Grand Prix. Hamilton increased his title lead to 70 points over Sebastian Vettel ahead of the final three rounds of the championship.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Race winner Lewis Hamilton had plenty to celebrate after claiming victory in the Japanese GP at Suzuka to lead the world championship by 67 points with four rounds remaining.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Lewis Hamilton (no 44) overtook fellow Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas under team orders on his way to a decisive victory in the 2018 F1 title race as he extended his advantage over Sebastian Vettel to 50 points.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Lewis Hamilton led from pole position in his famous No.44 Mercedes and took his seventh victory of the season on the Marina Bay street circuit in Singapore.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Hamilton stormed to a record-equalling fifth Italian Grand Prix victory -- overtaking both Ferraris in the process.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Lewis Hamilton celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring near Budapest to extend his title lead over Sebastian Vettel to 24 points.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Hamilton celebrates an extraordinary comeback win at the German Grand Prix to give him a 17-point championship lead as title rival Sebastian Vettel crashed out
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Dutch driver Max Verstappen claims a dramatic victory at the home of Red Bull Racing. But how does that impact the Drivers' Championship?
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Melbourne, Australia -- 'Lucky' Vettel wins season opener – Sebastian Vettel took full advantage of a bizarre incident involving both cars of the American-owned Haas team to claim the opening race of the 2018 Formula One season in Australia.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 1 – Vettel -- 25 points
Hamilton -- 18 points
Raikonnen -- 15 points
Hamilton -- 18 points
Raikonnen -- 15 points
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Sakhir, Bahrain -- Ferrari win soured by injured mechanic – Vettel won for the second time in as many races at the Bahrain Grand Prix. But the Italian team's victory was overshadowed after one of its mechanics suffered a broken leg when he was hit by Kimi Raikkonen's car during a pit stop.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 2 – Vettel -- 50 points
Hamilton -- 33 points
Bottas -- 22 points
Hamilton -- 33 points
Bottas -- 22 points
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Shanghai, China – An inspired Daniel Ricciardo claimed a remarkable and unexpected victory from sixth on the grid after a tactical masterstroke by his Red Bull team in Shanghai, with furious championship leader Vettel back in eighth place.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 3 – Vettel -- 54 points
Hamilton -- 45 points
Bottas -- 40 points
Hamilton -- 45 points
Bottas -- 40 points
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Baku, Azerbaijan -- Red Bull drivers shockingly crash as Hamilton triumphs – Lewis Hamilton was the chief beneficiary of a late puncture suffered by his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas as he clinched his first win of the season at April's action-packed Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 4 – Hamilton -- 70 points
Vettel -- 66 points
Raikkonen -- 48 points
Vettel -- 66 points
Raikkonen -- 48 points
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Barcelona, Spain -- Lewis Hamilton leads Mercedes one-two – After his unlikely victory in Azerbaijan, it was a second straight win for Hamilton as he bids for a fifth world championship -- and it could not have been more comfortable.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 5 – Hamilton -- 95 points
Vettel -- 78 points
Bottas -- 57 points
Vettel -- 78 points
Bottas -- 57 points
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Monaco -- Redemption for Ricciardo – Ricciardo nursed his ailing Red Bull to a remarkable victory on the streets of Monte Carlo and with it made up for his 2016 heartbreak on the same circuit.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 6 – Hamilton -- 110 points
Vettel -- 96 points
Ricciardo -- 72 points
Vettel -- 96 points
Ricciardo -- 72 points
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Canada -- Vettel wins to take title initiative – Sebastian Vettel's 50th career victory saw him replace Lewis Hamilton at the top of the championship standings to cap an emotional day for the Ferrari team.
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Drivers' title race after round 7 – Vettel -- 121 points
Hamilton -- 120 points
Bottas -- 86 points
Hamilton -- 120 points
Bottas -- 86 points
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
France -- Hamilton back in the groove – Briton Lewis Hamilton won the first French Grand Prix since 2008.
The Mercedes driver avoided the worst of a dramatic start that saw title rival Sebastian Vettel clip Valtteri Bottas. Both drivers sustained damage in the collision, forcing them to pit early them and fall to the back of the grid.
The Mercedes driver avoided the worst of a dramatic start that saw title rival Sebastian Vettel clip Valtteri Bottas. Both drivers sustained damage in the collision, forcing them to pit early them and fall to the back of the grid.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 8 – Hamilton -- 145 points
Vettel -- 131 points
Ricciardo -- 96 points
Vettel -- 131 points
Ricciardo -- 96 points
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Austria -- Verstappen wins after Mercedes meltdown – Red Bull's Max Verstappen won a dramatic Austrian Grand Prix as hitherto championship leader Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, were forced to retire.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 9 – Vettel - 146 points
Hamilton - 145 points
Raikkonen - 101 points
Hamilton - 145 points
Raikkonen - 101 points
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Britain -- Vettel wins despite Hamilton fightback – Home favorite Lewis Hamilton was denied a sixth victory at the British Grand Prix as Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel took control of the championship at Silverstone
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 10 – Vettel - 171Hamilton - 163Raikkonen - 116
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Germany -- Advantage Hamilton as Vettel crashes out – Hamilton fought back from 14th on the grid to claim an astonishing victory as Vettel crashed out at Hockenheim.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 11 – Hamilton - 188
Vettel - 171
Raikkonen - 131
Vettel - 171
Raikkonen - 131
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Hungary -- Hamilton extends title lead with 'beautiful' win – Hamilton went into F1's summer break with a season-high 24-point advantage in the title race over Vettel after winning at the Hungaroring.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 11 – Hamilton -- 213 points
Vettel -- 189 points
Raikkonen -- 146 points
Vettel -- 189 points
Raikkonen -- 146 points
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Belgium -- Vettel wins after spectacular crash – Fernando Alonso's car was launched over the top of Charles Leclerc on the opening corner of the Belgian Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel went on to win at Spa to cut Lewis Hamilton's lead at the top of the Driver Standings to 17 points.
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Photos: Story of the F1 season
Drivers' title race after round 12 – Hamilton -- 231Vettel -- 214Raikkonen - 146
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Ferrari's sea of fans -- the 'Tifosi' -- hold up a flag making fun of Lewis Hamilton, but he has the last laugh, winning the Italian Grand Prix for the fifth time
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Deja vu
Verstappen, who aged 18 became the youngest Grand Prix winner in history, has been involved in a number of incidents this season, prompting the creation of a website entitled "crashstappen.com."
During Friday's first practice session on the winding streets of Baku, the Dutchman could be seen sitting disconsolate on the pavement after spinning into the barriers on turn three.
Christian Horner on Verstappen and 2018 03:27
In the week leading up to the Grand Prix, he told reporters: 'You learn from your mistakes but that doesn't mean you have to drive slower, actually faster, but maybe a little bit more in control."
Sunday's incident "had its origins" in two defensive moves made by Verstappen, according to motorsport's governing body the FIA, but ultimately came about when Ricciardo left his move to overtake too late.
That neither were completely at fault was scant consolation.
"This result is really disappointing for the team. It doesn't matter who is to blame, it just shouldn't have happened," tweeted Verstappen.
"So many people are working hard to improve our cars and they deserve an apology."
Ricciardo, hailed as one of the best overtakers on the grid following his fine victory in Shanghai, acknowledged he was "heartbroken" for the team but hinted such clashes are always possible in a competitive environment where every inch counts.
"Sometimes we are on the limit and unfortunately it's ended how it did," said the Australian. "It's not a nice situation, so I think we both feel pretty bad it's ended like that, and for the team it's pretty crappy.
"As for the incident itself, it's a tough one. I'll let you guys and fans have your comments. The thing is, I'd come out and the gap was opening on the inside. Once I was there I had to commit to that, but it's more just heartbroken for how everyone is feeling in the team tonight."
What was Daniel Ricciardo's first car? 01:30
The Spanish Grand Prix takes place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on May 13.
