"I didn't think it was allowed," says Zak Brown as Daniel Ricciardo claims fastest lap in Singapore, thereby depriving Lando Norris of a potential championship winning point.

You can bet that among those that didn't vote Daniel Ricciardo their 'driver of the day' on the official F1 website was McLaren CEO, Zak Brown.

By posting the fastest lap of the race Ricciardo deprived title hopeful Norris of the honour and the point that goes with it.

Sunday's race saw Norris close Max Verstappen's championship lead to 52 points and with six races remaining every single point is going to be precious come season end in Abu Dhabi.

While everyone in the field was on a one-stop strategy, Kevin Magnussen had to make a second stop after suffering as puncture, while Ricciardo, who had started on softs, also had to make a second stop as he struggled for grip on his 36-lap old mediums. Switching back to softs he stopped for another set of the red-banded rubber four laps from the end as his team targeted the fastest lap.

"That's a nice A/B team sporting thing that I didn't think was allowed," Brown told Sirius XM when asked about the fastest lap. "But hey, that's not the first time we've seen it, probably won't be the last."

Asked if he would be questioning the move, he replied: "I'll certainly ask some questions.

"It's something I've spoken about in the past," he added, "and I think it illustrates that it does happen, because I think you wouldn't have made that pit stop to go for that. It's not going to get anyone a point, so I think it does illustrate the issue around that topic."

"This is a big matter," said team boss Andrea Stella. "You know, as soon as you invoke the sportsmanship, I think you need to approach this with a sense of responsibility, that I want to have.

"I don't know the facts," he admitted. "I just saw that RB went for the fastest lap, and they achieved it. But for me here talk about sportsmanship and so on, I think would be out of place. So I think we have to take it at face value.

"They scored the fastest lap, and potentially as part of a longer-term conversation, we need to put the sport in a position in which, at any stage, be it trackside or be it factory-side, teams behave in a totally autonomous manner, because this is a Constructors' Championship.

"This needs to be definitely addressed. But at no point I have elements now to say RB went for the fastest lap to support the Red Bull. I just find it a little, how to say, peculiar. I did not see it coming.

"I was a little surprised that the highest priority of RB racing in Singapore was to go and score the fastest lap of the race. I think we just have to work harder to make sure that this championship doesn't come down to a point.

"At the same time, I have so much sympathy, support and friendship with Daniel that I'm just happy that he may add this fastest lap to his track record."

"Given this may have been Daniel's last race, we wanted to give him the chance to savour it and go out with the fastest lap," said RB team principal Laurent Mekies.

While Christian Horner preferred not to comment, other than saying "you'd have to ask VCARB about that", Sergio Perez admitted that Red Bull had considered a late stop for him in order that he might secure the point.

"I don't know what happened," he said. "I think the team was discussing it, but I think in the end we decided to stay as it was decided anyway. I think the team was thinking about it but in the end it didn't happen."

Check out our Sunday gallery from Marina Bay here.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 24/09/2024 23:59

"@Mad Matt....Manipulation. Motive and intent plus the the same end result."

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2. Posted by Mad Matt, 24/09/2024 15:58

"I don't like it when teams use team orders to manipulate the result but I can accept it. This is about one team having the unfair advantage of using a drive in another team to manipulate the result.... for me that's a step too far.

On the other hand "West York" makes a very good suggestion."

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3. Posted by kenji, 24/09/2024 12:40

"Collusion and race fixing between teams in order to alter a result! Surely not. Brown doesn't seem to think that ordering drivers to drive according to a pre race agreement in order to influence/alter a result, irrespective of whatever track position has been gained on merit by one of his drivers? Surely not!"

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4. Posted by Stitch431, 24/09/2024 12:07

"I remember ties where McLaren "copy/pasted" the opinion of Toto, when it was "necessary to "make a case" against Red Bull. I remember Sauber/Haas almost stopping on track to let the Ferrari title contender pass unhindered. Zak, stop whining please ...."

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5. Posted by Spindoctor, 24/09/2024 9:51

"@West York - that seems to be more in the "spirit" of things. "

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6. Posted by meatball, 23/09/2024 22:41

"It's a huge coincidence but it's going to be tough to prove that this was a request for RBR and not Ric trying to go out with a bit of a bang before he loses his seat... Zac needs to chill."

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7. Posted by West York, 23/09/2024 21:56

"Always thought that the fastest lap point should be available for any driver during the race, irrespective of track position. However, I would also restrict it to the first set of each of the mandatory use tyres, to stop the late stop and lap dash. Any lap set on a second set of any compound, or a third compound, excluding wet/intermediate, would not count."

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8. Posted by ian_w, 23/09/2024 21:09

"What's wrong with one last hurrah for Dani-Ric?

Assuming he loses his seat, at least he can leave with his head held high, knowing he did his best under difficult circumstances and still has what it takes to be amongst the best should the opportunity arise. The fact it happened to help the RBR team, whose ride he was ultimately gunning for, is just icing. More so, it left a positive thought in RBR leadership that even in the most dire of circumstances, "he's a team driver". There is need not have been any collusion or malfeasance.

I'm sure most any other team would have offered him up the same chance under the same (is: final race) circumstances. He is not the first tail racer to take a fastest lap for the glory or to make a point. I can guarantee every driver would have done the exact same thing too, including Lando and Max. Sergio would have tried too, but ultimately miss out. Of course, had Sergio been performing better, none of this would be an issue."

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9. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 23/09/2024 17:40

"Why did Horner not realise that his "you'd have to ask VCARB about that" comment would make him look disingenuous? Does he think we’re stupid? "

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10. Posted by Burton, 23/09/2024 16:51

"That pesky Michael Andretti, always stirring up trouble."

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11. Posted by Mad Matt, 23/09/2024 16:51

"Happy for Daniel but I don't think using your sister team to effectively take a point away from a competeitor is the way F1 should go. Each team has to stand in its own."

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12. Posted by Spindoctor, 23/09/2024 13:21

"Walks like a duck, talks like a duck, smells like a duck but according to Horner it's a squirrel...."

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13. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 23/09/2024 13:19

"The fastest lap is available for anyone to take. Their motivation for doing so is not a prerequisite."

Brown unhappy with Red Bull 'collusion'

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