Force India pair settle team orders tiff

Force India's French driver Esteban Ocon (L) and Force India's Mexican driver Sergio Perez race at the Circuit de Catalunya on May 14, 2017 in Montmelo on the outskirts of Barcelona during the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix

Esteban Ocon telephoned his Force India team-mate Sergio Perez to clear the air after the controversy created by their battle over team orders at the Canadian Grand Prix. The Frenchman told reporters Thursday at a news conference ahead of this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix that he wanted to ensure there was no remaining tension between them. "So we had a good discussion after the race, in the debrief, and also I called Sergio during the week when everyone was relaxed," he explained. "We discussed our points. So, we are all set for the weekend and with no tension between us." Ocon believed he missed a chance for a maiden podium finish in Montreal because Mexican Perez refused to move aside as they battled with Red Bull's Australian Daniel Ricciardo late in the race. "The team took the decision to let us both race, which is respectable," he said. "It's great to see that they trust us and let us race." He added that though the pair discussed the incident during the post-race debrief, he felt it was necessary to do more. "To have a further talk was quite important I think," he said. "We discussed our points freely, just us two, together. "It was important to do that. As I said, now everything is settled down and we are ready to attack this race."