Rosberg: Team orders weren’t discussed before race

2013 Malaysian Grand Prix

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Nico Rosberg revealed Mercedes did not discuss the possibility of enforcing team orders on its drivers prior to the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Rosberg was unhappy at being told not to overtake Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages of the race and repeatedly complained to team principal Ross Brawn on the radio during the final stint.

“The difficulty was that we hadn’t really discussed them beforehand and so that was a mistake that we did,” said Rosberg in the press conference prior to the Chinese Grand Prix.

“What’s important going forward is that everything is discussed and then whichever way it goes, if I’m in front and Lewis is behind, he will respect it and vice-versa, then it’s OK as long as one is prepared for it and it’s discussed well and understood, that’s the important thing and that ‘s the main mistake we did at the team.”

Rosberg added he never considered disobeying the order to stay behind Hamilton: “At the end of the race I didn’t have that thought, no. I decided well before to fully respect the instructions that Ross had given me.”

However he firmly believes he has equal status with Hamilton and expects that will become obvious in the near future: “Very confident. No number one or number two. Extremely confident. But you can also answer that yourself in a few weeks’ time, one month’s time, that question.”

2013 Malaysian Grand Prix

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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11 comments on “Rosberg: Team orders weren’t discussed before race”

  1. Rosberg, Hamilton and Mercedes have handled this situation far better than Red Bull have. They’ve all appeared more level headed, mature and united in the answers they have given to the questions they have received. They’ve all come out of this with their reputations relatively unscathed, which is something that definitely cannot be said of Red Bull.

    1. Just wait until it’s about a win and not just 3rd or 4th…

    2. jimscreechy (@)
      11th April 2013, 12:39

      Very true, and it rather poigniantly lays the issue of team orders to rest as well.

  2. Exactly. And if the order was ignored and the pass was made by the trailing teammate.

  3. Why would team orders have been discussed before the race? They only came about because of an unforseen (fueling) problem.

  4. Though handled better than red bull its actually its self was much worse.

    Red bull were protecting a 1-2. Totally understanable. At merc you had a driver that was capable of potentially challenging the red bulls, he for no real reason was told to hold station. Not only that if it was for the good of the team when Nico passed him twice(before being DRS’ed back), why didnt ross get on the radio and say next time lewis let him go he is much faster than you and not nursing a fuel issue.

    Personally for me the mercedes were embaressing at the end of the grand prix.

    1. Hamiltons remorse was the real stinker. If he felt so bad he could have waved Rosberg through instead of crying on the podium.

    2. @Yuppy: Feeling that your teammate deserved the win doesn’t mean that you are just going to bend over and let them through. It wasn’t Hamilton’s fault that Brawn imposed team orders and the impetus wasn’t on Hamilton to correct whatever mistake Brawn may or may not of made.

      And I’d say that a 3-4 finish was pretty important for Mercedes, wouldn’t you say? There last few seasons haven’t exactly been impressive. I don’t agree with Brawn for imposing team orders, but I can’t totally understand why he did so.

      1. +1
        You´re on fire with these comments today!

  5. So what. I didn’t get all my assignments before I came into work today either. And really enough of this if Rosberg was a real man he would take what’s his stuff. He tried to take it, and Hamilton kept taking it back. If Brawn had turned them loose, or if Rosberg had taken is manly prerogative, they would have battled until both ran out of fuel. And Stuttgart would have had Brawn and everyone else cashiered by Monday.

  6. “At the end of the race I didn’t have that thought, no. I decided well before to fully respect the instructions that Ross had given me.”

    And that ladies and gentleman is what makes Ross an excellent boss! He gets respect from his drivers! Sadly the same can´t be said about others! XD

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