Red Bull Imploding After Turkish Grand Prix?

Red Bull racing team is now in the middle of a row between its drivers after a disastrous performance in the Turkish Grand Prix last Sunday. The internal spat started after its German driver Sebastien Vettel crashes on his Australian teammate mark Webber in Lap 40. The accident spoiled Red Bulls 1-2 finish to the podium and led the Constructors' Championship.

On Lap 40, the German driver attempted to make a pass on race leader and teammate Webber. The Red Bull pair collided with each other. Vettel retired from the race because of heavy damage to his RB6 car. Webber was able to stay on the track with a damage nose cone and aero wing. After making a pit stop to replace the damage, he was able to hold on to his third position for a finish at the podium.

After the race, the Australian Webber hinted that there might be some favoritism within his Red Bull team. Webber evoked that there is more to his slower pace on the previous corner prior to the incident. The Australian is making fast laps in his previous laps before Lap 40. Journalists asked if there was some motive on Webber's passive performance where Vettel had more speed than him following him closely for 40 laps, Webber said "Hmm. You guys need to dig more, somewhere else." Conspiracy theories prop up that hinted Webber had been directed by his team to decrease his speed or Vettel had been refueled longer.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner refuted the baseless allegations. "Mark had changed down into a fuel-saving mode that cost him a bit of performance," Horner said. "Seb had managed to save an extra kilogram of fuel – as both cars start the race with the same amount. So effectively he had one more lap of the optimum engine mode."

There were allegations of brewing hostility between the team's principal drivers and Red Bull senior management's bias on the German driver despite the circumstances that it seems he was at fault for the crash. Martin Brundle, BBC F1 commentator, was certain of the opinion on the incident. "For me, unquestionably, Vettel swung right into Webber," he said. McLaren Lewis Hamilton shared the same thoughts where Vettel did the same thing to him earlier in the race. "He was so aggressive as he tried to turn into me, but fortunately I had enough space," Hamilton said. "It was the exact same thing as he did to Mark."

Vettel was fuming mad as he left his damaged RB6 car and made a twirling sign around his head, a gesture most probably intended for Webber. "Seb had top-speed advantage," Webber said. "He then went down the inside, we were side by side, it looked like he turned quick right and we made contact." "It's a shame for the team and not an ideal day. It can happen sometimes and when you are at the front it's difficult."

The German driver denied he was at fault of the incident and Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko, a close friend of Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz, agreed. "Sebastian was ahead, there was a corner coming so he had to move into his line," Marko said. "He couldn't have braked on the dirt."

Red Bull could have maintained its dominance of the Constructor's Championship if that ugly incident did not happen. Prior to the Turkish Grand Prix, Red Bull leads with 156 points over second running Ferrari. After the Turkish Grand Prix, Mercedes McLaren leads Red Bull with one point. Red Bull has collected 171 points in seven Grand Prix races and has dominated the field with superb performances from its cars and drivers.

The accident between the two RBRs gave the McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button an upper hand in both Constructors Championship and Drivers Championship categories. RBRs Webber and Vettel were both tied at first place in the drivers' category with 78 points apiece before the Turkish Grand Prix. Webber still leads the drivers with his 93 points over McLaren's Jenson Button.