The 29-year-old, who is joining Renault for next season, started the previous race in Mexico on pole position before suffering his eighth retirement of the season, twice as many as team mate Max Verstappen.
Max Verstappen says Red Bull is closer than it expected to the front of the field at the Brazilian Grand Prix despite hitting trouble during FP2. It's the sixth turbo he's used this year, above the allotted amount in the regulations, meaning he will serve a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's race, which will be applied after qualifying. "For me I was not really after the youngest pole record", he said. I was aware Max was pissed after quali, the press conference and that you could tell he was not too pleased. Even if I missed that pole, if I was in his shoes, even if that was not for my first pole, I would still be upset. I don't think it was really directed at me, I think anyone missing their first pole by such a small margin was going to be pissed. Since winning the Monaco Grand Prix in May he has not returned to the podium.
The likeable Aussie has had woeful luck with his Renault power unit in the back of his Red Bull, which is ironic after his decision to leave the successful Milton Keynes outfit to join Enstone-based Renault factory Formula One team.
"I didn't see it as anything personal, like I was rubbing it in". I'm happy with the long runs as well ... I was super happy because it has been a tough year. "From his [Max Verstappen's] point of view, he was the favourite all weekend topping all the sessions, and to get pipped by your teammate by two hundredths, it is going to p*ss you off". "So we don't really want to put him in that position".
'I was literally p***ed off.' he said.
"I was mainly very angry because of the problems I've had with my engine during qualifying and then you know, that weekend I was clearly the fastest but just for 75 seconds I wasn't".
"I wouldn't even say it..." I could literally do some damage if somebody would say something wrong to me after qualifying.
"That's how angry I was. Every little thing makes it even worse".
Fastest in the first session of the weekend on Friday morning, Red Bull's Max Verstappen continued where he had left off from Mexico, but an oil leak discovered after first practice saw him stuck in the pits when second practice got underway.