Spa team orders: Time For Tea?

Eddie Jordan got his knickers in a twist over Hamilton and Rosberg - here's why

If the purpose of history is to learn lessons from the past; here's a video that could have done with some play in the Mercedes pit garage ahead of last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

Even by Spa's high standard for both wetness and crashes, 1998 was something special. This was the race where David Coulthard managed to cause two different crashes, the first one that wiped out nearly half the grid on the first lap, and then - after the restart - when he was about to be lapped by leader Michael Schumacher. DC lifted off but didn't move off the racing line. Schumacher, unsighted in the spray, drove his Ferrari straight into the back of Coulthard's McLaren, finishing his race.

And promoting Damon Hill into the lead. Hill was driving for Jordan and in the twilight of his F1 career - he retired the following year. He'd qualified at Spa in a strong third place and had briefly led after the second start, but Schumacher's misfortune put him back at the sharp end.

As the laps ticked down another problem became apparent. Hill's teammate, Ralf Schumacher, was closing him down in a car that looked considerably quicker. Cue some very tense radio discussions later revealed in this documentary about the team. And Damon's amazingly calm ultimatum, delivered while leading a Grand Prix in the rain: "If we two race, we could end up with nothing... if we don't race each other we've got an opportunity to get a first and a second."

Eddie Jordan clearly agreed and Ralf was ordered to hold station; clearly not a decision he liked. Jordan took its first victory and only one-two finish, Damon scored his last Grand Prix win. It certainly explains why EJ got so worked up in the BBC post-race discussion with David Coulthard on Sunday.

See here.