Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has warned Red Bull that Alex Albon won't always play a No.2 role to Max Verstappen.
After the departure of Daniel Ricciardo at the end of 2018, it was clear the dynamic within the Milton Keynes-based outfit had shifted from the equal status they gave their drivers to fully supporting the Dutchman as their No.1.
Much of that was due to Verstappen's lack of a challenge from Ricciardo's initial replacement, Pierre Gasly, and Albon, as he found his feet in his rookie season.
But while much of the recent attention has been on Ferrari's drivers, with Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel now on equal terms, and whether that will change when Carlos Sainz joins in 2021, Wolff believes Red Bull shouldn't rest on their laurels either.
“The young Albon will also want to make a name for himself,” he told Motorsport-Total.com.
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“You should never imagine that such a No.1 and No.2 situation works because every racing driver has the ambition to win.
“They would not be Formula 1 drivers if they didn’t have that.”
Meanwhile, at Mercedes, it is largely assumed Valtteri Bottas is playing a back-up role to Lewis Hamilton, with the Finn often touted as the "wingman" of the six-time world champion.
However, Wolff claims any superiority Hamilton enjoys, he has to earn first.
“This results from the performance,” he said of any eventual preferential treatment Lewis receives.
“Both drivers always have the same options at the beginning of the year. We want to offer them the opportunity to drive for a World Championship.”
