F1 LIVE: Mercedes punished for Japanese GP incident as Red Bull reject Yuki Tsunoda claim | F1 | Sport

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has rejected claims that Yuki Tsunoda had his engine turned up during FP1.

Eyebrows were raised when the Japanese driver’s fastest lap was only one tenth behind team-mate Max Verstappen by the end of the session.

And Horner insists they were fighting on a level playing field.

“They were both identical engine modes so it’s positive stuff,” he told Sky Sports. “Yuki knows the circuit very well here.

“His feedback is very clear and concise, it’s just the start of his journey with the team and there’s plenty to get into.”