Formula One and @F1_Madness fan, Reynard Gelderblom (@Reynardg) sent us his thoughts on team orders in the wake of the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix where both Red Bull and Mercedes F1 issued their F1 drivers with team orders.
Let us know what you think about team orders in the comments section below. Here’s what Reynard had to say:
The order of things
Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber Photo: Red Bull Racing
Every now and again controversy creeps into F1. Unlike other sports, this isn’t related to drug allegations or match fixings, although there are those who do compare this to the latter.
Think back to Austria 2002 and USA 2012, Ferrari’s team strategies have been the cause for a fair amount of these talking points. Two weeks ago this again overshadowed the media reports after the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Formula One Team orders: hate them, support them – they’re part of the sport. If you’re a team manager you would certainly do everything in your power to ensure the best possible result in a race. The third and fourth place finish for Mercedes F1 went a long way to consolidate their position as a front running team. This wouldn’t have been the case had Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg retired near the end. Yes, sure we would’ve talked about it, but nothing shows your worth quite like the results sheet.
Red Bull Racing of course has been dominating the sport for the last three years, but the one-two finish will certainly have a lot of teams thinking during the three-week break.
This didn’t come without a price though. For those who missed it: Prior to the final pit stop, Red Bull decided that in order to save the tyres and engines, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber would keep their positions after the last tyre change. Webber had track position, but Vettel didn’t back down. First, he blatantly asked the team to let him through. When that request was denied, he took matters into his own hands and while Webber had his engine turned down, the reigning champion took the first position. Afterwards the tension between the two drivers could be cut with a knife, and let it be said you would’ve needed a very sharp knife for that.
Understandably, Webber felt robbed. He did what the team asked and in his mind he did enough to take the victory.
Now before calling Vettel greedy or a cheat, let me put you into the three times Formula One World Champion’s shoes for a second. Imagine you’ve been the leading salesman at your office for the last couple of months. Around the middle of the month, your boss calls you in and says “Joe, it’ll be better for this company if we let John tie up those last four deals this month.” How will you feel? Given that you are paid to be the best in your field, to maximise your own and company profits – will you really be able to just buy into that strategy? Or will you also, like Vettel, look for ways to maintain your number one status? Do exactly what you love to and what you’re good at doing?
Personally, I do think there is a time and place for it. Coming down to the last few races of the season there’s a need for this, especially when you’re in the hunt for either one of the two championships. As early as round two of the season – well that one is debatable.
As team manager you’ve got to keep in mind that inside the car, there are two drivers, both with their own ambitions as well. Perhaps there is a better way of doing this. Given the fact that issuing instructions over the team radio is allowed, I don’t see why Red Bull couldn’t step in and instruct Vettel to fall back the lap after.
One thing is for certain, the current way of enforcing team orders is a lot better than what we saw in the past with suspicious pit stops. Vettel did exactly the same thing we saw from the three former triple F1 world champs – Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. He’s a racer, not just a driver. I would like to see a fair race as well though.
Personally, I think Red Bull’s decision was unfair to Vettel and by
consequence, to Webber as well. The team got their finishes on the first two steps of the podium; I just wonder what the price for this will turn out to be.
Reynard Gelderblom is the motorsport editor for Street Motion.
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