Max Verstappen admits he would have pushed Daniel Ricciardo off the race track during their battle at the Malaysian Grand Prix if they weren't both driving for Red Bull.
Ricciardo and Verstappen battled wheel-to-wheel for several corners a couple of laps before Lewis Hamilton's engine failed. The pair managed to fight without coming to blows, with Verstappen eventually having to back out when the pair went through the fast Turn 6 corner.
The battle, and the subsequent Virtual Safety Car, effectively neutralised their fight and meant Verstappen had to settle for second behind Ricciardo. The teenager admits he would not have been so generous if it had been another driver alongside him.
"Into Turn 6 I was like, if it was someone else next to me then I would have got the move done," Verstappen said. "I would have pushed them wide, but it's your teammate so you can't."
Verstappen had looked strongly-placed before Hamilton's failure and the VSC period, but ultimately crossed the line as the second Red Bull. Despite it being a possible victory lost Verstappen is not dwelling on what might have been.
"No frustrations, you have to see the positive side and I think the whole weekend was very strong. The pace was there, just a bit unfortunate with the last Virtual Safety Car but that's racing, sometimes it doesn't go your way. I still have a lot of years ahead of me so I shouldn't be complaining about this single race."
He also feels encouraged Red Bull would allow its drivers to fight so closely without reeling either man in with team orders, which were not implemented in the final 16 laps as the pair ran first and second.
"I think we showed the team we could do it in a very respectful way, and I think that shows for the future a lot of confidence."