Team orders at McLaren ?

[timmo]

Having watched the race yesterday it was obvious that there were team orders at McLaren
The only reason it was not highlighted was the wonderful Alonso overtaking of Massa
Button was taking at least half a second a lap from Alonso/Massa/Hamilton and if he stayed out for another 2 laps would have slotted in front of Lewis Hamilton

Has he resigned himself to No2 driver ?

[Targarama]

I'd love to see Button get past Hamilton and make it stick, I doubt it will happen while Hamilton has a healthy car. Last time that happened a few races ago (due to confusion about saving fuel), Lewis took the place back 2 corners later.

[DangerousMike]

dunno, but i commented on this in the race. They pitted LH too early, following everyone else. LH was quicker on his soft tyres, at the point he pitted, than vettel was on his brand new hard tyres.

[Muzzer]

timmo said:

Having watched the race yesterday it was obvious that there were team orders at McLaren
The only reason it was not highlighted was the wonderful Alonso overtaking of Massa
Button was taking at least half a second a lap from Alonso/Massa/Hamilton and if he stayed out for another 2 laps would have slotted in front of Lewis Hamilton

Has he resigned himself to No2 driver ?

That's not team orders IMO.

That's pitting your driver at an opportune moment, in front of the competition.

Team orders are blatantly instructing one driver to move over for the other on the track.

[timmo]

Well to me if Button stayed out for 4 more laps he would have easiy come out in front of Lewis Hamilton
look how close he was to Lewis on the exit of the pits

[timmo]

But Alonso had massa in front of him

[10 Pence Short]

Gaz. said:

timmo said:

Having watched the race yesterday it was obvious that there were team orders at McLaren
The only reason it was not highlighted was the wonderful Alonso overtaking of Massa
Button was taking at least half a second a lap from Alonso/Massa/Hamilton and if he stayed out for another 2 laps would have slotted in front of Lewis Hamilton

Has he resigned himself to No2 driver ?

It was Button who got the 3.0 second pitstop, Hamilton had to make do with a 4.9, that doesn't look like harpooning a drivers race to me. Alonso had set the fastest lap of the race when Button was on his in-lap, they were going to catch him.

Exactly. The tyres were tipping and Button had to come in to avoid losing position. To suggest he was pitted at a moment to benefit Hamilton is pure nonsense.

[ewenm]

timmo said:

Well to me if Button stayed out for 4 more laps he would have easiy come out in front of Lewis Hamilton
look how close he was to Lewis on the exit of the pits

Assuming his soft tyres continued to perform well. I thought they brought Button in when those who switched onto hard tyres started matching/bettering his pace.

[FourWheelDrift]

ewenm said:

timmo said:

Well to me if Button stayed out for 4 more laps he would have easiy come out in front of Lewis Hamilton
look how close he was to Lewis on the exit of the pits

Assuming his soft tyres continued to perform well. I thought they brought Button in when those who switched onto hard tyres started matching/bettering his pace.

Yep, and also what's been said about track position. Not being let out in slower traffic or allowing those getting their prime tyre up to temperature and lapping quicker. If they had kept Button out one or two more laps I think Webber would have been in front of him.

[timmo]

Ok fair comment thread closed

[stevesingo]

I noticed that when Button lost out in traffic to Hamilton, it only took a couple of sectors to be right back where he was; 1.5-2.0 sec. JB also stated to the press that he couldn't go any faster due to the loss of downfoce following the car in front.

I think if JB didn't have to brake to avoid collision in turn 1,l and stayed in front of LH, he would have been closed to Vettel at the end. LH was struggling.

But, not team orders. More like being sensible.

[Richard-G]

stevesingo said:

I noticed that when Button lost out in traffic to Hamilton, it only took a couple of sectors to be right back where he was; 1.5-2.0 sec. JB also stated to the press that he couldn't go any faster due to the loss of downfoce following the car in front.

I think if JB didn't have to brake to avoid collision in turn 1,l and stayed in front of LH, he would have been closed to Vettel at the end. LH was struggling.

But, not team orders. More like being sensible.

well put, they are both in it for the championship, both did a great job, if it wasnt for vettels big brake into turn 1 i think it would have been button 4th, hamilton 5th. How happy must whitmarsh be with those two!

[Jasandjules]

timmo said:

Having watched the race yesterday it was obvious that there were team orders at McLaren
The only reason it was not highlighted was the wonderful Alonso overtaking of Massa
Button was taking at least half a second a lap from Alonso/Massa/Hamilton and if he stayed out for another 2 laps would have slotted in front of Lewis Hamilton

Has he resigned himself to No2 driver ?

This can not be a serious post?!?!?

[Jungles]

Pretty obviously tongue-in-cheek.

Edited by Jungles on Tuesday 27th July 01:35

[german tony]

Surely telling your drivers that they are free to race each other IS a team order?

[Wanta996Gotta]

german tony said:

Surely telling your drivers that they are free to race each other IS a team order?

When was that said? I thought they were told to no longer save fuel or they could now go off the G8 setting whatever that is? Lewis was consistantly 4-5 seconds off Vettel but ended up 22 seconds behind after the save fuel instruction was given.

Edited by Wanta996Gotta on Wednesday 28th July 11:08

[tim-b]

german tony said:

Surely telling your drivers that they are free to race each other IS a team order?

[FourWheelDrift]

So is telling your drivers not to take each other off. A team order they don't have at Red Bull or Torro Rosso.

Guess who crashed into who