PARIS, France - Red Bull adivsor Helmut Marko has hit back at Mercedes the team called for harsh punishment for the defending champions.
Wheels24 reported that Red Bull appealed Daniel Ricciardo's Melbourne disqualification in Paris on Monday (April 14).
A lawyer for Mercedes argued that the International Automotive Federation should impose "a further sanction", due to the "flagrant and deliberate" rules breach.
'BITTERLY DISAPPOINTED'
Ultimately, the judges upheld Ricciardo's disqualification but did not add to Red Bull's penalty.
Helmut said: "We are obviously bitterly disappointed. We cannot say any more until we get detailed reasons for the judgement, but what amazed us even more was the language and aggressiveness that our competitor Mercedes used to argue against us."
Less publicly angry is Ricciardo, who although having sprayed the champagne on his home-race podium, is in fact yet to officially bank a F1 trophy.
Ricciardo said: "It's disappointing not to get the 18 points from Australia, but if anything, it gives me more motivation to get back on the podium as soon as possible.
"I'd rather have a great race and finish on the podium and then be excluded than to have had a bad race and then retire with a car problem half way through."
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2014 Chinese F1 GP weekend.