Red Bull chief Christian Horner has defended Sebastian Vettel after the World Champion apparently refused to obey a team order during the Chinese GP.

Asked to yield position to team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, who subsequently passed the German and proceeded to beat the reigning World Champion by twenty seconds to the chequered flag, Vettel told the Red Bull pitwall “tough luck” after being informed that the Australian was running on an identical but fresher medium compound tyre.

Yet with Ricciardo then passing Vettel shortly afterwards, Horner heard nothing wrong with the exchange.

“He’s going to challenge them because he’s a racer and the guys want to race each other,” countered Horner. “We were looking at a different strategy and then he has moved out of the way and let his team-mate through.”

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