Team orders or Team decisions.......????

[RT]

Watching the GP yesterday, I had a feeling that Hamilton had done more than enough to deserve finsing second. Of course, there would never, never, never, ever be team orders right???.

I just wonder how come Alonso "passed" Hamilton during the last pit stops so conveniently. Surely the order to bring Hamilton in was given with proper considerations so that he'd never be delayed by traffic, right....??

Any thoughts??. What happened??.

Perhaps not team orders but ....team decisions........??

Cheers,

RT

[trevisio]

Yeah its a big hmmmmm from me on that one too. All very convenient.

[Knowlesy]

What happened was Hamilton caught traffic at the wrong time and Alonso, using his experience to full effect, took advantage.

That is really all there is to it.

[chillibowl]

i had the same thoughts, and considering what people would be saying if this happened with another team... but as Knowlesy pointed out the time lost in traffic combined with LH 2 off track visits and FA's zero mistakes he took the position back with ease.

[brands]

Originally Posted by RT

Watching the GP yesterday, I had a feeling that Hamilton had done more than enough to deserve finsing second. Of course, there would never, never, never, ever be team orders right???.

I just wonder how come Alonso "passed" Hamilton during the last pit stops so conveniently. Surely the order to bring Hamilton in was given with proper considerations so that he'd never be delayed by traffic, right....??

Any thoughts??. What happened??.

Perhaps not team orders but ....team decisions........??

Cheers,

RT

Are you sure you watched the race ?

Knowlesy summed it up well.

I'm surprised you haven't brought up inter team orders, McLaren conspiring with Super Aguri to block their #2 to allow their #1 to pass

[Mr V]

Lewis was unlucky, on his in lap he was behind 2 slower cars, Fernando, being a couple of seconds behind Lewis managed to capitalise. Not forgetting that Fernando had to take on 2 laps less worth of fuel.

[flying finn]

http://www.formula1.com/race/result/pitstops/770/8.html

Pit Stop #1
Fernando Alonso > Lap 22 > 24.412
Lewis Hamilton > Lap 23 > 24.025

Pit Stop #2
Lewis Hamilton > Lap 43 > 23.352
Fernando Alonso > Lap 45 > 21.509

Total Pit Time
Lewis Hamilton > 47.377 (+ 1.456)
Fernando Alonso > 45.921

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

What happened was Hamilton caught traffic at the wrong time and Alonso, using his experience to full effect, took advantage.

That is really all there is to it.

Here we go again it does not take long does it?..I agree with you by the way Knowlesy, there is nothing to this thought

[botsquad]

wait.
f.a. was fastest qualifier, see what happens if/when the roles reverse.

[Marbot]

Mclaren use a system whereby the fastest qualifier gets the upper hand on strategy i.e. He calls the shots on when he comes in for fuel and tyres.

A quote from James Allen (yes I know).

"The reason Lewis finished third today was that McLaren have a deal whereby the fastest qualifier chooses the strategy and the other driver is not allowed to cover it."

[Inigo Montoya]

Team orders at McLaren? Come on! That only happens when Michael is driving for Ferrari

[Kieran20]

alonso had put more fuel in the car, than hamilton after the last stop. so he could run a few laps longer at race pace on a light car. lewis also happened to catch traffic to allow alonso to be raight on his tail just before he came in. this obviosuly didnt help, but alonso did what he needed to do to take the place, and i think the aount lewis was behind when alonso came out was more the 1.5 seconds, so i think him gettign stuck in trafffic was irrelevent. alonso just had the car at the right moment to go faster whilst hamiton swas getting up to temp and with a heavier car.

[Gt_R]

Mclaren has shown that they are more than capable of using team orders for the benefit of one driver in the past, at any point in a season... but honestly, i think there isn't any last weekend.

If anything, one can only blame Mclaren for not at least trying to help Lewis avoid the backmarkers, hence compromising his position during the race.

[Snrub]

It just seems like a strange situation. The McLarens were doing thier own pace because they couldn't touch Kimi. The lighter the fuel load, the faster the lap timess. Pitting Alonso one lap later than Hamilton would have made sense, but two laps gave Alonso the advantage. They weren't pushing each other on the track before the pitstop so there was no post 1st pitstop/pre-2nd pitstop advantage to carying a slightly lighter fuel load. If Hamilton had been behind and they had pitted Hamilton two laps after Alonso, Hamilton would have come out ahead.

[Greenback]

Both Alonso and LH quickest lap was during lap 20, and they are only about 0.03sec apart. Both drivers are also running on the same tyre strategy hence I dont see how Alonso can be so much quicker than LH on lap 43 onwards.
The only reason I could think of is "team" strategy

[Bononi]

I wouldn't be surprised if it happens in the next races though...

[f1manoz]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

What happened was Hamilton caught traffic at the wrong time and Alonso, using his experience to full effect, took advantage.

That is really all there is to it.

Thread end?

[LampCord]

I think like most here it was a combination of FA's experience, fuel strategy and some bad luck on traffic. Lets remember, it was a bit of a fluke that his teamate passed him in the first place, a Williams driver (I think) of cutoff FA in the first corner and that allowed Hamilton to pass him on the outside.

Once FA got past him, he seemed to pull away slightly.

If you want to talk about team orders, what about the ones Honda DIDN'T use? The ones that SHOULD have sounded something like, "Jensen, pull the **** over, you've been holding up Rubino for 10 ******* laps mate!"

What was the thinking there? Who knows what Barrichello could have done if his teamate let him pass right away instead of throwing the whole race away? He might have even been able to keep up with last years Hondas!

[rustyinsthoz]

Anyone who thinks there are no team orders at Mclaren are kidding themselves. Alonso is number one and Hamilton is the number two. When running line astern in a grand prix, it will always be Alonso ahead of Hamilton at the finish, as it should be.

[koper]

Originally Posted by LampCord

I think like most here it was a combination of FA's experience, fuel strategy and some bad luck on traffic. Lets remember, it was a bit of a fluke that his teamate passed him in the first place, a Williams driver (I think) of cutoff FA in the first corner and that allowed Hamilton to pass him on the outside.

Once FA got past him, he seemed to pull away slightly.

i mostly agree with you except one thing - the car which blocked fernando was bmw - not williams

i don't understand why mclaren would favorize alonso.
i think that if they want to do that it would be lewis.

or maybe they have done it in order to avoid the situation such as alonso blaming not only the team for not helping him but also everyone and everything

[Adam43]

Favorize? Is that Ron Speak for Favour?

[Bononi]

McLaren the new Ferrrari ?

[Gt_R]

Why new? Mclaren has been playing the game as far back as Ferrari and Michael were together.

But really, i doubt Mclaren really did something nasty in Melbourne. I don't even think Ron really expected before the race that Hamilton will be leading Alonso into the 2nd round of pitstops.

[Bononi]

Not new actually, but certainly having to hold down the #2 would be unsual for them. Remember Senna and Prost, when Prost were allegedly #1... well the outcome wasn't very pleaseant.

[Jon Lincoln]

Personally I'm not opposed to team orders as it is a team sport.

However I think on this occasion that Lewis was just unlucky and his inexperience showed a bit too. It's a useful lesson - modern Grands Prix are often won and lost in the two laps that wrap around a pitstop.