Team Orders at Mercedes?

[HK2014]

I don't understand why they won't let bottas overtake hamilton.. its only halway through the season, everything is possible. I know bottas isn't even 3rd in the championship but except his crash in australia, i don't remember him making any mistakes this season, he has been very unlucky (baku) and the only chances he has to take victory, the team tells him to stay 2nd... Bottas deserves more wins imo.

 

[Durge Driven]

Its normal, constructor champ first, nothing more, better than both collide and throw away points for the team

Sure sure except when Micheal did it he was the devil and Lewis is a saint

 

[Qazdar Karim]

I don't understand why they won't let bottas overtake hamilton.. its only halway through the season, everything is possible. I know bottas isn't even 3rd in the championship but except his crash in australia, i don't remember him making any mistakes this season, he has been very unlucky (baku) and the only chances he has to take victory, the team tells him to stay 2nd... Bottas deserves more wins imo.

Because they knew that Lewis wasn't going to let him pass easily, and that was dangerous.

 

[gamer19]

Not that I enjoy in team orders but that was logical I have to say.
What should they do ? To let Ferrari and Red Bull take this out of the blue from 14th to 1st place miracle victory ? That would be too stupid even for not exactly world best Mercedes strategists.

 

[felippekiss]

Sure sure except when Micheal did it he was the devil and Lewis is a saint

Its not about driver X ou Y, hamilton could be slower, may be true but he certainly would not allow an overtaking without risks of Bottas, seeing from this side the mercedes took the safe route for her after both pilots scored and she took the lead, is a very different situation for example of Austria between Barrichello and Schumacher where P1 and P2 were already guaranteed for the team and there was made an exchange benefiting a pilot and not the team since for the team the result was already guaranteed. I'm not saying that I agree with the order of the teams, whatever, but that I understand in the face of the situation that what counts for them is the constructors' championship

 

[SS454]

while I'd prefer to see them race, I have no problem with team orders. A 1-2 finish and your lead driver takes max points over rival for WDC. That's a dream scenario that could have ended with a double DNF and Kimi taking victory if they wreck. Seems like a reasonable call to me.

What will gripe me is when Mercedes, McLaren, RBR, or any other team do team orders, it's considered okay but Ferrari always get scrutinized for it. Austria 2002 always seems to get brought up. If it's legal, then teams should implement team orders when needed, to try and win both WCC and WDC. It's a team sport.

 

[Durge Driven]

Its not about driver X ou Y

No

When Schu did it people wanted him banned for life, when Lewis does it he is a hero

Look how many times Nico was dealt the same and Sky would go all quiet

Same with that pit in , if Micheal or Seb or Max had did what Lewis did they would have been penalized

 

[Durge Driven]

another thing is when have FiA ever used a team being truthful a reason to limit penalty ?

they have set a precedent using that as first excuse to be lenient with such
disregard for rules

In reaching their conclusion the stewards took into account three mitigating factors: that the team candidly admitted the mistake and the fact that there was confusion within the team about whether to pit or not.....................

So any team admits wrong doing or are confused over anything will be deemed as mitigating factors any time FiA feel like it. lol

 

[CMGARAGE]

another thing is when have FiA ever used a team being truthful a reason to limit penalty ?

they have set a precedent using that as first excuse to be lenient with such
disregard for rules



So any team admits wrong doing after the fact or are confused over anything will be deemed as mitigating factors any time FiA feel like it. lol

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...for-lewis-hamilton-collision-in-azerbaijan-gp

 

[Durge Driven]

Okay not a precedent

Both incidents maybe for a rookie okay but not 4 time champions


edit:
I don't think second factor " it was not dangerous" is good policy either

Take a car going slow online it is deemed dangerous whether any other cars are around it or not

Yes if a car had to take evasive action or crashed for sure that warrants a heavier penalty but not a lighter one simply because at the time there was no cars around, no one has a crystal ball

3rd reason pace car is limp too, so anyone now cuts in or out of pit entry in a pace car situation ( which we all know could be advantageous) will ..........." Sorry our mistake, we were confused " lol


However ! having being reminded of and taking into account Baku incident I say it's even

 

[Nick Hill]

For better or worse, I don't think Bottas minds playing the unspoken #2 role. He left a team that appears to be headed for extinction and landed with the fastest team on the grid. He is probably hoping he can stick it out until Hamilton departs and perhaps the stars will align and give him a crack at a championship. Given his circumstances, it's really not a bad scheme at all.

 

[homecalendar]

If Valteri had any chances to win the championship, i'm sure such an order would not follow. And then, if you are not the best, then move on.

 

[timson72]

Like Kimi received a penalty 2016 for driving in to the box but not pitting (he left the entrance): And Hamilton don't receive a penalty for the same. On the SAME Track.

The penalty you're referring to was at Baku and there was a rule in place that race because of where the pit entry is.

 

[VRTSmith]

I don't think they were as strict as Ferrari... Bottas got to attack Hamilton into the hairpin, which was a battle that he lost on that occasion. The team orders then followed after that battle. Ferrari didn't let Kimi even attempt to pick up the pace and got him to move out the way. I feel like Mercedes want to at least give their drivers a chance before they place in team orders...

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Agreed. There is a huge difference between 'Hold your current positions' and 'move out of the way'.

 

[Hardy N7]

First of all I want to make clear that I'm a fan of Ferrari, so my opinion is not neutral.

I see it this way: Vettel and Räikkönnen are on different strats with young/older tires. It makes sense for BOTH drivers, not to fight but just drive and manage tires.
In the end, Hamilton has 15-20 laps old tires and everybody else has new pneus. This would have been 99% a win for Bottas, if Mercedes didn't intervene. What could have been the most intense final 10 laps of the year became boring with one team order.

 

[Chris Wyatt]

F1 is very much a team sport, Mercedes did the right thing. They ended up with a 1 2 finish but could of risked at worst a double DNF. Lets not forget that Lewis was also much faster. He broke the lap record several times during the last few laps. He was only at risk from Bottas initially as used tires take a little longer to warm up.

 

[Barry Waterfield]

Like Kimi received a penalty 2016 for driving in to the box but not pitting (he left the entrance): And Hamilton don't receive a penalty for the same. On the SAME Track.

Kimi entered the pit lane (white lines) and exited before he entered the pits at Baku not Hockenheim. This was also under green flag conditions with the pit entrance close to the racing line. (cars doing over 190mph)

Lewis entered the pits under safety car and re-entered the track off the racing line and didn't create any danger for any other driver.

The FIA got this right for once.

 

[Yapci]

Since team orders are allowed...I don’t see the need to discuss if they exist... I mean...it’s like saying “helmets...are they using them?”

 

[Jozsusz]

I try not to follow F1 anymore. It just gets on my nerves how penalties are inconsistent, how the current rules make it so difficult to overtake etc. The sport is completely derailed.

Vettel 2010 Hungary. He did the same and recieved no penalty. End.