Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has praised Nigel Mansell for allowing Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso to go wheel-towheel in Sunday’s British Grand Prix.

Vettel and Alonso thrilled the packed grandstands at Silverstone with a stunning duel for 13 laps before the former finally managed to make a move stick at 180mph into Copse with five laps remaining.

The battle was overshadowed, however, by complaints over the radio to their respective teams about the other, notably with regard to exceeding circuit limits on a number of occasions at Copse, and again into Club.

Red Bull’s Vettel also bemoaned the fact Ferrari star Alonso was failing to give him room in his attempts to pass, suggesting any contact would have resulted in a major accident.

After the race, and away from the heat of the moment, even Vettel suggested his radio squabble with Alonso was “silly”.

Although both drivers were warned in the end with regard to track limits, no action was ultimately taken by the stewards, led by 1992 world champion Mansell.

“It was two guys going at it hammer and tongs,” declared Horner. “The problem is they’ve introduced all these rules about circuit limits, and as they’re both professionals they’re both going to be pointing out the errors of the other.

“Fernando was benefiting at turns nine (Copse) and 18 (Club) constantly. Sebastian was quick to point that out, but then Sebastian was doing whatever he could to try and pass him.

“They were both on the limit. For me it was six of one, half a dozen of the other. It would have been wrong for them to be penalised.

“We raised it to Charlie (Whiting, race director) and Ferrari raised it about Sebastian. Charlie pointed out a couple of times the track limits to Seb, and it was also pointed out to Fernando as he received a warning flag.

“But hats off to Nigel that he allowed the guys to get on and race – that’s what Nigel is there for.”