Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has blamed social media for "exploiting" his criticism of AlphaTauri's Japanese rookie Yuki Tsunoda at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Horner told Sky television that his drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez had been "Tsunoda'd" in qualifying after their final flying laps were affected by the Japanese going off track and kicking up dust ahead of them.
Honda-backed Tsunoda, 21, is also part of the Red Bull stable of drivers with the energy drink brand owning AlphaTauri as well as their main team.
The comment kicked up a controversy on social media, with critics accusing Red Bull of failing to nurture and protect junior talent.