Max Verstappen says he does not care about Toro Rosso team orders because he will normally be "miles ahead" of Carlos Sainz at races.
Verstappen was upset with Toro Rosso during the Australian Grand Prix when the team did not order Sainz to let him by to have a go at passing Renault's Jolyon Palmer.
"To be honest I don't know and I don't care," Verstappen is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com when asked if swapping positions would be unlikely in future. "Normally I should be miles ahead. It should be fine."
The incident had similarities to the Singapore Grand Prix last year, where Verstappen refused to move over when asked to let Sainz have a go at passing Force India's Sergio Perez. At one stage in the Australia battle Sainz was told he had to push and pass Palmer otherwise the team would ask him to let Verstappen get by, but it is unclear whether the order was actually made as Sainz made the move shortly after the message was broadcast.
Pressed on whether Sainz had been asked to move over, Verstappen said: "That didn't happen, of course. It's fine. I knew I was much faster. I'm not worried that the pace is not there. We just had a bad pit stop and then when you come out you are behind.
"To be honest for me it's fine. I feel I have everything under control. I don't feel the pressure of him. I'm focussing ahead, that's my competition."
Having qualified fifth and seventh Toro Rosso came away from the opening race with just three points. Verstappen thinks the team's strategy cost them a higher finish.
"You could clearly see it. I think we should have been close to [Daniel] Ricciardo if we had the right pit stops and stuff. To finish tenth is of course really disappointing."