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Force India F1 team outlines code of conduct for Ocon and Perez

The Force India Formula 1 team has outlined its new code of conduct for drivers Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez following their Belgian Grand Prix collisions

The Spa incident prompted an immediate ban on the pair racing each other, with the team also threatening suspensions in the event of further clashes.

Team principal Vijay Mallya and his deputy Bob Fernley were not at Spa, but have made their thoughts clear to both drivers.

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Fernley said the main message was that they had to race each other "responsibly" from now on.

"There are a number of situations in a race that you can't control, for instance how do you control the start when there are cars going in all directions?" he told Autosport.

"So the answer is we want to encourage them to race, but we want them to do it responsibly.

"And that is where the focus is within the team, and the team can monitor that from the pitwall."

He said the pair had to bear in mind their own reputations in the paddock as well as the need to protect Force India's fourth place in the constructors' championship.

"You've got to accept that we've got two great and very talented drivers, and both of them are obviously very focused and very determined," Fernley said.

"We don't want to in any way dilute that. The chats that we've had haven't worked, they've obviously had to be a little bit stronger.

"Vijay has intervened a bit over the last week, and I think it's behind us now.

"From a team point of view we've got to make sure fourth place is secured, it's very important.

"And from their point of view they need to make sure they keep their reputations intact, because there's a future for them beyond Force India for both of them."

Asked why the post-Spa conversations would be more successful than the talks held after Ocon and Perez collided in Baku in June, Fernley replied: "I think what's changed is the realisation from the two drivers that it's not acceptable".

He played down the likelihood of Force India suspending either driver.

"Whatever we do from a team order point of view is obviously an internal matter, and wouldn't be shared," Fernley said.

"We'll deal with what we need to deal with as and when, but I don't think there will need to be anything as draconian as that."

Perez and Ocon said at Monza on Thursday that they had held constructive talks and were determined to put the incidents behind them.

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