Is team order tactics such as McLarens acceptable in 2007?

[deluge]

The McLaren team, and all others, choose a race strategy based on many factors. Generally, these factors are dependant on a dominant driver and what works best for him.

McLaren have two drivers that are surprisingly close. Surprising in that one is a double world champion, and the other is a phenonomal rookie. This creates a management problem. How to avoid favoritism.

Race strategy is determined after Q2 when the fuel loads are chosen. In the event that both driver/engineer combinations choose the same fuel strategy, then someone gets what they want and someone settles for second best.

The McLaren "team" chose the strategy for both. Hamilton disagreed and chose his own. This compromised Alonso plans, and Alonso unilateraly decided to punish Hamilton by fouling his strategy.

This is quali and race strategy run amuck. Or, team strategy compromised by both Hamilton and Alonso during quali.

This is the the opposite of team orders. Both drivers ignored the strategy, so they are unlikely to follow race orders.

I think team strategy is necessary. However, it is diffulcult to plan and execute when the drivers are equal.

[Torso]

incredibly some fans still don`t acknowledge that McLaren used team orders every season since the late 80`s!

now even when it`s ILLIGAL to do so the McLaren fans SUPPORT IT!!???

But was "all over the place" with BASHING when Ferrari did it openly at a time when it was legal.



McLaren fans are *

[mx_tifoso]

incredibly some fans still don`t acknowledge that McLaren used team orders every season since the late 80`s!

now even when it`s ILLIGAL to do so the McLaren fans SUPPORT IT!!???

But was "all over the place" with BASHING when Ferrari did it openly at a time when it was legal.



McLaren fans are *

Maturity and understanding is not necessary here at F1T, but it is highly recommended. hint hint

[captainmorgan]

This horse is glue already, stop.

"Team orders", as defined by some, do happen ALL the time.
"Pit on lap 59 for fuel and tires" is a team order.
"You will be on a 2-stop strategy for this race" is a team order.
"We can't refuel more than one car at a time during Q3, so you will have one more lap's worth of fuel than your teammate" is a team order.

What is illegal, and unjustified in the eyes of a majority of the F1 viewing audience, is when a driver gets a team order to be passed and give up a rightfully-earned win so that a teammate can cynically maximize WC points. This is because of the 2002 Austrian GP. It is NOT just any team order that is illegal. Only the ones where one driver is handed a clear advantage over another because of the order.

The reason this subset of team orders is illegal is because they take the two WC scores and effectively make it a single championship. A team and two drivers becomes only about the lead driver. I'll admit it's the smart strategy to do if it were legal. But it cheats the other teams who run their two drivers without biased orders, and it cheats the audience who wants to see close races. In Austria 2002, the additional 4 points made almost no difference to Schumacher's huge lead that he already had. In a car that was already a half second per lap faster than the next car.