Toro Rosso situation to be clarified internally - Marko

Dr Helmut Marko on Tuesday pointed a finger at the F1 rules amid the tension at Red Bull's junior team. Toro Rosso teen sensation Max Verstappen lost his cool with the Faenza team and teammate Carlos Sainz in Melbourne, after getting stuck behind the sister car.

Dutchman Verstappen's race went wrong amid communication misunderstandings with Toro Rosso and a pitstop in which his tyres weren't ready. "Everyone must ensure that such a thing does not happen again," Austrian Marko, a key official for Red Bull's F1 programmes, told Austrian broadcaster Servus TV. "In defense of the team, it must be said that the radio rules were changed three times over the course of the weekend," he added.

As for Verstappen's foul-mouthed bad mood, Marko said the 18-year-old is "young, madly ambitious and emotional" but insisted the situation would be "clarified internally". He had to admit that, thanks to Toro Rosso's Ferrari engine, the secondary team is a step ahead of premier outfit Red Bull Racing so far in 2016.

But Marko said that could change by Montreal, where a new Renault engine is due. "Toro Rosso is fortunate to have a more powerful engine, but it will not be further developed," he said. "In qualifying Mercedes is in a league of its own, but they are vulnerable in the race when under pressure or in the event of any small problems."

"Ferrari has become stronger, but we are closer to Ferrari," he added, referring to Red Bull Racing. "If we really get a better (engine) package in Montreal, then we should be at least on par with Ferrari. Then the season will be pretty exciting after six to eight races," Marko predicted. (GMM)