Yuki Tsunoda admits he doesn't have the self-control that his RB team "values" in Daniel Ricciardo.
The hot-headed Japanese driver vented his frustrations during the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix when the team asked him to swap places with Ricciardo.
Ricciardo was on the softest compound tyre, and in theory faster than Tsunoda, so was given the chance to try and overtake Haas driver Kevin Magnussen.
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The fight wasn't for points – Ricciardo in 13th and Tsunoda in 14th – and RB opted not to make the Australian give the place back at the end of the race.
"Are you kidding me? Now?" said Tsunoda on lap 52.
Ricciardo was left frustrated too, suggesting the team had left it too late to make the switch.
"Yeah, I don't need to say anything. We've wasted a whole lap," said Ricciardo.
The radio feud continued thereafter.
"Yeah thanks, guys. I appreciate it," Tsunoda said sarcastically.
"He's got to speed up. He's not fast, he's not fast at all."
Few could have expected tensions to boil over after just one race, with Tsunoda dive-bombing Ricciardo post-race in a bizarre display of disgruntlement.
It's widely known the pair are potentially fighting for a place at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen – assuming Sergio Perez is let go by the team.
If there's one thing Red Bull doesn't want, it's a temperamental driver alongside Verstappen.
"Daniel, he (has) a thing that I don't have," said Tsunoda.
"For example, that self-control, he's really good at it, and I think also one of the things that teams value as well, rather than just keep shouting.
"Giving feedback, he's much better, because that kind of honesty and self-control is really important and he's really good at it."
It's expected Red Bull will make a decision on the second seat at Red Bull after the winter break in August.
Ricciardo and Tsunoda are thought to be the only real contenders for the seat outside of Perez.
Tsunoda's future with Red Bull is clouded by the change of engine manufacturer in 2026 that will see them switch to Ford.
There have been suggestions that Tsunoda could join Aston Martin when they change engine supply to Honda.
Former team owner Eddie Jordan of his eponymous team Jordan Grand Prix (now Aston Martin) said Honda's influence is the only reason Tsunoda races for RB.
"Tsunoda is in the team he's in because … Red Bull as a family, they need to keep Honda happy," he said on his Formula For Success podcast.
"And that is a Honda request, I can promise that's the way it is because that's what happened.
"They wanted rid of (Heinz-Harald) Frentzen out of my team even though he was a multiple grant prix winner with us and he was brilliant.
"And yet, the powers that Honda put on me was that they wanted (Takuma) Sato put in the car because they needed to have a Japanese driver.
"It was their prerogative and I understood it and I took a decision. With the money what the engine was going to cost was about 18 million and I'm saying to myself 'Is Frentzen worth 18 million?' and the answer clearly was no.
"So it was game over. Sato came to the team, Frentzen said goodbye – but he was an outstanding driver."
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