Helmut Marko, the man who guided Sebastian Vettel through the Red Bull driver programme, said his former protégé's radio meltdown in Mexico was "unworthy of a four-time world champion".
Vettel, who won those titles at Red Bull before switching to Ferrari, found himself behind Marko's latest wonderkid, Max Verstappen, in the closing stages of the Mexican Grand Prix. Verstappen ran wide with three laps to go but held third position, refusing to yield to an irate Vettel.
The laps spent behind Verstappen then backed Vettel into Daniel Ricciardo in the other Red Bull. Ricciardo made contact with Vettel on the penultimate lap after a late lunge down the inside.
After the race, Vettel told FIA race director Charlie Whiting to "f--k off" on two occasions, something Marko thinks was unacceptable for the grid's most decorated driver.
"The situation is unworthy of a four-time world champion," Marko told Sky Sports after the race. "His choice of words certainly wasn't first class."
Though Verstappen crossed the line in third, Whiting and the stewards soon issued a five-second penalty which dropped the 19-year-old behind Vettel and Ricciardo into fifth. Marko says Red Bull do not understand why Verstappen was penalised.
"We support him. The decision is not understandable. They use different standards and this is not okay."