Mallya: Force India drivers still free to race

Force India team principal Vijay Mallya says his drivers have been told they are still free to race despite the recent collision at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon (pictured above in Russia) came together during a Safety Car restart in Baku as Ocon overtook his teammate for what was then fourth place. The Frenchman didn't leave Perez enough room on the exit of Turn 2 and the pair collided, causing significant damage that eventually resulted in Perez retiring and Ocon coming home sixth at the end of a chaotic race.

Mallya says both drivers have been told the incident was unacceptable, but that Force India will still allow them to race each other in future.

"I can't remember a Grand Prix creating such a buzz and so many talking points as the race we saw in Baku," Mallya said. "We certainly played our part in a dramatic race and it's still frustrating to ponder what might have been had things played out differently. Since Baku we've had some conversations internally and reminded our drivers that the team must always come first. It's never acceptable for teammates to make contact with each other, and it certainly cost us points in Baku.

"However, the events of Azerbaijan won't change our approach. Our drivers can race freely and I'm sure they have learned some valuable lessons. We've given them a competitive car and I know they are mature enough to work together for the good of the team."

While Perez himself admits he is still rueing the missed opportunity in Azerbaijan, he says it shouldn't be overlooked how competitive Force India was when fighting for the podium.

"I'm still feeling disappointed about the lost opportunity in Baku, but at the same time I'm feeling positive about the performance level we showed," he said. "We were fighting at the front and the car was working well. It's just a shame my race ended early because there was a great chance of finishing on the podium."